Evening star., 1934-12-14
CHAPTER XIV.
NICK,S STORY.


:$ :: +; r.: E.; #:
glad to meet you," she said
simply. "I know you must be very
nice or Nick wouldn't be so fond Of
you"
Jerry achieved a highly creditable
bow, and then Strengthening him
self, looked at her admiringly.
you'll forgive my being bit
dazed," he remarked, "but you see
I wasn't exactly expecting a party"
"Molly's not party" I explained;
she's more in the nature Of an &C
cident." I pulled up a chair. "Sit
down, jerry" I added. you're going
to listen to the most amazing yarn
you've ever heard, but that's no rea-
son why you shouldn't be COM
Portable"
THE difficulty" I added, looking
from one to the other of them, ''is
that I'm hanged If know where to
begin"
"I want to hear as much as I can. u
Jerry thrust his hands into his pockets
and stretched out his long legs. "At
present all I know is what saw in
the papers last night and this morn
ing. I've read the judges summing
up, but outside of that I'm absolutely
in the dark about the whole business
You start right at the beginning and
tell me everything"
reflected for a moment. ''The be-
ginning 1 said, was when 1 ran
into Osborne in Villiers street. II
was late one night, about week after
you'd gone away, and Id been dining
with a pal of mine at the Savage
Club. On my way to Charing Cross
I saw chap standing under lamp
post lighting cigaret. I thought his
face was familiar and when I got ur
close I recognized him at once. Ex.
cept for looking little older he hadn't
altered in the least. You remember
what he was lke-a tall thin birc
with a tight mouth and very blacl
eyes"
Jerry hooded. ST remember hin
perfectly. Bit Of a dab in the stinki
line, wasn't he-always messing abou
with test tubes and bunsen burners?'
That's the man." said, I'VE were
never particular pals, but I used Il
play him at golf sometimes, and you
know how it is when you come acros!
any one you were in school with. o.
course, I stopped to have a chat, anc
in the end we went along together b.
the same train as far as Tottenhan
Court road.
"He didn't talk much about himself
Said he'd been out in the States fO
some years and was back here on {
holiday. He asked me if I kept VI
with any of the old crowd, and l tolC
him saw a good deal of you anc
that we did a bit of sailing togethe
in the Summer.
when We said good-by, gave hin
my address and invited him to look M
up. I heard nothing more Of him fo
three or four days; then one Afternoon
he sent me note from some house il
Holland Park asking me If I'd com
round and see him that evening.
II wasn't keen about it, but havini
nothing special to do I thought
HNS0L dS well go. wen, dItGT ld'
some grub I walked across the parl
as far as Portland road. 1t came o.
to rain then, so I took a taxi mus
have got to his place just about
O'Clock. 1t was small house with
front garden to it. and when I ran
the bell he opened the door himself
could see at once that he was a
jumpy as cat"
How do you mean?" asked Jerry
"All on edge" explained. "keepin
himself in-like a man who's fright
ened and doesn't want to show il
He took me along to his study and CAV
me drink, and for some time We sa
there talking about old days. and tn
fellows we used to know and all tha
kind of thing.
Then at last he came to the point
He told me that he was anxious I
buy a boat. and as I knew a littl
about sailing, he thought that per
haps I wouldn't mind giving him m
help and advice. OF course, the frs