Evening star., 1935-12-01
Legacy Of Adventure
Continued from page seven

tlOn.
Il suppose, the mysterious host re-
flected, II have made matters trifle
complicated for some of you. Never
mind, we'll have the explanations over
before we finish the caviar. Good
health to all of us who are Rockies and
to Sir George, who isn't" he went on
with his dry little smile. Never
thought Of meeting you in the flesh,
but there it is"
Mrs. John Rookie suddenly paused
in the act of drinking her cocktail.
What about that poor fellow who is
doing twenty years for manslaughter?"
well, he's getting what he de-
served" her new found relative
pointed out. 'He threw someone over
the cliff all right. only it wasn't the
man he thought"
Grace was always sentimental
list" Phillip Rookie declared. taking a
second glass from the tray. "I'm jolly
glad to see you, sir, even if you haven't
walked back from the grave. What |
would like to know is this We have
been called the Rookie legatees for
don't know how long, we have had
dinners and drunk a silent toast to
you and " we have spent your
money or good part of it. Now -"
"If that matter is troubling any of
you," the host of the gathering inter-
rupted, wash it out. You see those
five small caskets?'
He pointed to five very attractive
boxes which stood upon the table,
fashioned of walnut wood and tied up
with ribbon.
'One for each one of you. For the
legal side of it, you must trust to Sir
George here. He has had paper pre-
pared which have signed. and you
will find it inside setting the matter
straight. Actually am alive. Legally
/ am dead. Sir George has seen to that
all right. Your legacies are untouch-
able and, having found such pleasant
lot of relatives" he concluded, IF any
of you have had bad luck with your
legacies. well. we will have chat
about it after dinner"
I'VE haven't got to return any
thing?" Mr.. Percy Rookie faltered.
Not a penny. my COUSIN" the
other assured him. Get it we'll into
your heads that l am still dead and
you've got your legacy. BY the time
you have seen what corpse can do to
spot of caviar and drop of vodka
you will understand the matter better.
Sir George. what about moving in?
The maitre d'h6tel seems anxious"
"One more question" Ann begged.
Who was thrown into the sea?"
For moment Desmond Rookie
looked grave. His name was Ma
thaniel Watson, he confided. ''He had
been my secretary for years He was an
idle, pleasant, shiftless sort of creature,
but he had one thing which made him
the most wonderful secretary in the
world for me. He and l were as much
alike as twin peas. could have sent
him anywhere in my place, and often
did. When l received the cable to go
out to Ecuador, we had just settled
down for few months quiet living in
Sark, where went to get away from
certain complications in the city. l
put it to him that he might have a
call from a very angry man connected
with my former firm, Investments
Limited, all sorts OF disagreeable
things might happen to him until they
discovered his real personality. but
there was thousand pounds for him
if he liked to sit tight till came back.
Il signed a will at my lawyers leav-
ing all the money that stood in my
name at Investments Limited to such
legatees as could be found, and al
though l never thought one of that
black-coated, SNUG little gang of
swindlers would ever have the pluck
to lay hand upon him. told him of
r