Page:Richard Marsh--The joss, a reversion.djvu/188

176 “You are sure it was taken out?”

“Dead sure.”

“If you have evidence which will show that the person to whom you refer made free with the contents of your locker, then I should say that it was a case of felony. But there may be other points which would have to be considered. I should have to be placed in possession of all the facts of the case before I could pronounce an opinion. The matter may not be so simple as you think.”

“Simple! I think it simple! Good Lord!” He held up his hands, as if amazed at the suggestion. “There’s another thing I want to know. Suppose on the strength of that, we’ll say, man’s promises, I make promises on my own account to certain members of the crew. Being done by that, we’ll say, man, I was obliged to do them. What is my position, Mr. Paine, toward those members of the crew?”

“That is a question to which I cannot reply off-hand. It would depend on so many circumstances. I am afraid you will have to tell me the whole of your story before I can be of use to you.”

“Ah! That so? I was afraid it would be. I said to myself that you can’t expect a man, lawyer or no lawyer, to see what’s inside a box unless you open the lid. But I can’t tell you the story; I can’t. I’m too sore, sir, too sore. Smarting almost more than I can bear. I’ve been done out of a fortune, out of my good name, and out of something I value more than both. That’s a fact. I’ll look round a bit more, and try to get one of them back, in my own way. Then, if I can’t, perhaps I’ll come to you again. Sorry to have troubled you, Mr. Paine. What’s your fee?”

“For what? I’ve been of no use to you. For a pleasant conversation with my friend’s friend? I charge no fee for that, Mr. Lander.”

“You’re a lawyer. A lawyer’s time is money. I’ve always understood that a lawyer’s fee is six and