Part 14 (1/2)
Amber had returned to the table He pondered his proble; a distasteful duty devolved upon hi the servant about hisinto the mystery which Rutton had chosen always to preserve about hi to the man whom he had terh with
”Mr Rutton spoke of a despatch-box, Doggott You knohere to find it?”
”Yes, sir”
The servant brought from Rutton's leather trunk a battered black-japanned tin box, which, upon exploration, proved to contain little that ht not have been anticipated A bankbook issued by the house of Rothschild Freres, Paris, showed a balance to the credit of HD Rutton of sohtly under a old certificates of large denominations, to the value of, roundly, twenty thousand dollars, together with a handful of French, Gere about two hundred and fifty dollars In addition to these there was le envelope, superscribed: ”To be opened in event of my death only HDR”
Amber broke the seal and read the enclosures once to hiott The date was barely a year old
”For reasons personal to myself and sufficient,” Rutton had written, ”I choose not to make a formal will I shall die, probably in the near future, by my own hand, of poison I wish to emphasise this state my demise should appear to attach suspicion of murder upon any person or persons whatever I am a er and childless What relations may survive me are distant and will never appear to claim what estate I may leave--this I know I therefore desire that lish citizen, shall inherit and appropriate to his own use allhe be ininto possession of al procedure of any kind, I enclose a cheque to his order uponthe date of thisto my credit upon my bank-book Should he have died or left me, however, the disposition of my effects is a nature was unenuine--the formal ”HD Rutton” hich Ainian put aside the paper and offered Doggott the blank cheque on Rothschilds' ”This,” he said, ”ott”
”Yes, sir” Doggott took the slip of paper in a hand that trembled even as his voice, and eyed it incredulously ”I've never 'ad anything like this before, sir; I 'ardly knohat it means”
”It means,” explained Amber, ”that, when you've filled in that blank and had the money collected from the Rothschilds, you'll be worth--hat cash is here--in the neighbourhood of forty five thousand pounds sterling”
Doggott gasped, temporarily inarticulate ”Forty-five thousand pounds! Mr Amber,” he declared earnestly, ”I never looked for nothin' like this I--I never--I--” Quite without warning he was quiet and coht I ask it of you as a favour, sir, to look after this”--he offered to return the cheque--”for a while, till I can myke up my mind what to do with it”
”Certainly” Amber took the paper, folded it and placed it in his card-case ”I'd suggest that you deposit it as soon as possible in a New York bank for collection In the meantime, these bills are yours; you'd better take care of the account I'll keep Mr Rutton's bank-book with the cheque” He placed the book in his pocket with the singular docuott to possess himself of the money in the despatch-box
”It'll keep as well in 'ere as anywheres,” Doggott considered, relocking the box ”I 'aven't 'ardly any use for money, except, of course, to tide me over till I find another position”
”What!” exclaiott respectfully ”I'e my w'ys; a valet I've been all my life and a valet I'll die, sir It's too lyte to think of anything else”
”But with thispardon, sir, but I know; I could live easy like a gentleentleo 'ome and buy me a public-'ouse; but that wouldn't do neither
I'd not be 'appy; if you'll pardon entleentles round publics So the w'y I look at it, there's naught foruntil I'm too old; after that the money'll be a comfort, I dares'y Don't you think so, sir?” ”I believe you're right, Doggott; only, your common-sense surprises me
But it ain
”'Ow's that, sir--if I m'y ask?”
”This way,” said Amber: ”Before he died, Mr Rutton asked ested that I take you with erly ”There's no gentleman I'd like to valet for better than yourself”
”But there will be dangers, Doggott--I don't know precisely what
That's the rub: we'll have to travel half-way round the world and face unknown perils If Mr Rutton were right about it, we'll be lucky to get aith our lives”
”I'll go, sir; it was 'is wish I'll go with you to India, Mr Amber”
”Very well” A his plans ”But,”
he enquired suddenly, ”I didn't mention India How did you know----?”