MR. STANDISH STATES HIS BUSINESS.
AS Mr. Standish spoke, he slipped into the room adroitly, closed the
door again, and locked it.
He looked about for a seat, and discovered a rocking-chair, which, like
the chair Gerald occupied, appeared to be suffering from infirmity and
old age.
“Glad to see you again, Gerald!” he said urbanely.
“Mr. Standish, are you responsible for this outrage?” demanded Gerald
angrily.
“For what outrage, my dear young friend?”
“Did you send that boy to lure me in here?”
“That boy is my promising nephew, Tip Standish.”
“I am not surprised to hear it. Was he acting under your orders?”
“You’ve hit it, my dear boy. He _was_ acting under my orders, and I am
proud to say that he did himself credit.”
“He told me a story about being in danger of a beating from his mother.”
Standish laughed.
“His mother is a poor weak woman weighing about ninety pounds. She
isn’t strong enough to harm a fly.”
“In other words the boy lied.”
“Tip has remarkable inventive powers. He may make a story-writer in
time.”
“I am quite sure he doesn’t excel you—in invention, Mr. Standish.”
“Thank you, dear boy. It is pleasant to be appreciated. You do me
proud, you really do.”
“Never mind compliments, Mr. Standish. Of course you had some object in
luring me here. What is it?”
“I admire the quickness with which you come to business. Really you are
a very smart boy.”
“With all my smartness I have fallen into a trap. Now, what do you
want?”
“Perhaps you might have some idea—can’t you now?”
“I can think of nothing except money. I suppose you want to rob me.”
“My dear boy!” protested Standish, “you misjudge me. What, Samuel
Standish a common thief? I am indeed mortified. I was not aware that
you carried a large sum of money with you,” he added, not without
curiosity.
“I don’t,” answered Gerald. “I have only fifteen dollars in my
pocketbook.”
Samuel Standish in spite of his disclaimer looked somewhat
disappointed, but he kept up appearances.
“Keep the money, my boy!” he said with a wave of the hand. “Keep the
money! Heaven forbid that I should deprive you of it. Samuel Standish
is a man of honor.”
Gerald gazed at him with increasing bewilderment. He had not expected
such a display of honesty. Moreover, if Standish did not want money,
what did he want? What could be his object in trapping him?
“If I have done you injustice, Mr. Standish, I apologize,” he said.
“I supposed it must be money you wanted, for I could think of nothing
else. Of course in confining me you are committing an illegal act. If
you will release me at once I will overlook what has already passed.”
“You are a smart boy, Gerald,” said Samuel Standish jocosely. “You
ought to have been a lawyer.”
“Thank you for the compliment.”
“Oh, you are quite welcome, I am sure.”
[Illustration: Samuel Standish leaned forward and said: “I want some
papers that you are carrying about with you.”—Page 215.]
“I must trouble you to release me at once, as Mr. Brooke expects me
back at the hotel. We had arranged to take an excursion.”
“I shouldn’t like to interfere with any little arrangement you have
made. Gerald, I am your friend, though you may not think it.”
“Well, your treatment of me this morning doesn’t seem like it. Is it
your custom to trap and kidnap those to whom you are friendly?”
Mr. Standish laughed.
“Not in general,” he answered, “but I wanted an interview with you for
special reasons.”
“It was not necessary to kidnap me in order to obtain it. If you had
requested an interview I would have granted it.”
“Well, perhaps so, but I wanted to make sure. I wanted an interview
somewhere _where we were not likely to be interrupted_.”
“As you have your wish, will you please come to business, and let me
know what you want of me?”
Samuel Standish leaned forward and said significantly, “_I want some
papers that you are carrying about with you_.”