Your uncle's revenge will
not be a marker to the restitution his son will make."
"Restitution?--his son?"
"Yes. To my sincere regret he is an invalid who may or may not live
the year out. He has already made a will, in which he leaves all to
you. The will is in my safe at home. I return to-night, so I may not
see you again in this world of sin and tribulation." The merry twinkle
had returned to his eyes. "I am very old."
"It is worth all the trouble to have met you," said I. "You should
have made the jolt very easy."
So we shook hands, and he gave me a cigar, around which was wrapped the
check. He winked. Then he laughed, and I joined him, though my
laughter resembled mirth less than it did the cackle of a hen which was
disturbed over the future of her brood.
I left him and went down into the wine room and ordered a stiff brandy
and soda. When that disappeared I ordered another. I rattled the ice
in the glass. "Ha, ha, ha!" I roared, as the events of the past
twenty-four hours recurred to me. There must have been a suicidal
accent to my laughter, for the bartender looked at me with some
concern.
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