White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1923-08-03
MY LADY'S MONEY
An Episode in the Life
of Young Girl
by WiLkie Collins
Observation-Disclosures

I 1T is business" Mr.. Troy answered,
looking at the old rogue who had dis
graced an honorable profession, as
! he might have looked at reptile
which had just risen rampant at his
feet. What is your fee for consulta-
tion?"
You give me guinea and I'll give
you half an hour" With this reply
Old Sharon held out his unwashed
hand across the rickety, ink-splashed
table at which he was sitting.
Mr.. Troy would not have touched
him with the tips of his own fingers
for a thousand pounds. He laid the
guinea on the table,
Old Sharon burst into a fierce laugh
"a laugh strangely accompanied by
a frowning contraction of his eye.
brows, and frightful exhibition of
the whole inside Of his mouth ~ am
not clean enough for you, eh?" he said,
with an appearance of being very much
amused. There is a dirty old man
described in this book that is little
like me-" Held up his French novel.
Have you read it? a capital story
well put together. All, you haven't read
it? You have got a pleasure to come.
say, do you mind tobacco-smoke? l
think faster while | smoke--that's ALL
Mr.. Troys respectable land waved
a silent permission to smoke, given
under dignified protest
All right" said Old Sharon. Nov,
get on"
He laid himself back in his chair
and puffed out his smoke. with eye
lazily half closed, like the eyes of
the pug-dog on his lap. AT that nom
ent, indeed, there was curious re-
semblance between the two. They both
seemed to be preparing themselves, in
the same idle way. for the same COM
Portable nap.
Mr.. Troy stated the circumstances
under which the fve-hundred pound
note had disappeared in clear and
consecutive narrative. When he had
done old Sharon suddenly opened his
eyes. The pug-dog suddenly opened
his eyes. Old Sharon looked hard at
Mr.. Troy. The pug-dog looked hard
at Mr. Troy. Old Sharon spoke. The
pug growled.
II know who you are-you're a law
yer. Don't be alarmed, | never saw
you before, and | don't know your
name. What | do know Is lawyers
statement of facts when hear It,
Who's this?" Old Sharon looked in
quisitively at Moody as he put the
question.
Mr.. Troy introduced Moody as a
competent witness, thoroughly ac-
quainted with the circumstances, and
ready and willing to answer any ques-
lions relating to them. Old Sharon
waited little, smoking hard and
thinking hard Nov them" he burst
out, in his fiercely sudden way, I'm
going to get to the root of the matter"
He leaned forward, with his elbows
on the table, and began his examina-
ton of Moody. Heartily as Mr.. Troy
despised and disliked the old rogue,
he listened with establishment and ad-
miration, literally extorted from him
hU fha oh ,j1S,
the questions were adapted to the end
in view. In a quarter of an hour Old
Sharon had extracted from the wit.
ness everything, literally everything,
down to the smallest detail, that
Moody could tell him. Having now
in his own phrase, got to the root
of the matter" he relit his pipe with
a grunt Of satisfaction, and laid him
self back again in his old armchair
Well" said Mr. Troy, "have you
formed your opinion?"
yes; We formed my opinion"
What is it."
Instead of replying, Old Sharon
winked contidentially at Mr. Troy and
put question on his side
Il say! is a ten-pound note much
of an object to your"
1T depends" answered Mr.. Troy
ION what the money is wanted for"
Look here" said Old Sharon; 81
can give you an opinion for your
guinea; but, mind this, it's an opin-
know as lawyer what that Is worth.
Venture your ten pounds-in plain
English, pay me for my time and
trouble in a battling and difficult case
and I'll give you an opinion founded
on my own experience.
Explain yourself little more clear.
ly," said Mr.. Troy What do you
guarantee to tell us if we venture the
ten pounds?"
81 guarantee to name the person, or
the persons, on whom the suspicion
really rests. And IL you employ me
after that, guarantee before you pay
me half-penny more), to prove that
am right by laying my hand on the
thief"
Let us have the guinea opinion
first" said Mr.. Troy.
Old Sharon made another frightful
exhibition Of the whole inside of his
mouth; his laugh was louder and
fiercer than ever. Il like YOU" he said