Part 19 (1/2)

Then, swiftly turning, Jones gripped the financier by both arms and held him so, chewing, chewing, chewing, mute and facing the shouting other one.

They were hammering at the door outside. Mr. Aaronson and the clerks, useless people for breaking-down-door purposes, were a.s.sisting their employer with their voices--mainly, the whole block of offices was raised, and boys and telephones were summoning the police.

Meanwhile, Jones was chewing, and the bill was slowly being converted into what the physiologist terms a bolus. It took three minutes before the bolus, properly salivated and raised by the tongue, pa.s.sed the anterior pillars of the fauces, then the epiglottis shut down, and the bolus slipping over it and seized by the muscles of the esophagus pa.s.sed to its destined abode.

Jones had swallowed Rochester's past, or at least a most important part of it. The act accomplished, he sat down as a boa constrictor recoils itself, still gulping. Marcus Mulhausen rushed to the door and opened it. A vast policeman stood before him, behind the policeman crowded Mr.

Aaronson and the clerks, and behind these a dozen or two of the block dwellers, eager for gory sights at a distance.

Marcus looked round.

”What's all this?” said he. ”There is nothing wrong, just a little dispute with a gentleman. It is all over--Mr. Aaronson, clear the office. Constable, here is two s.h.i.+llings for your trouble. Good day.”

He shut the door on the disappointed crowd and turned to Jones.

The battle was over.

CHAPTER XVI

A WILD SURPRISE

At five o'clock that day the transference of the property was made out and signed by Marcus Mulhausen in Mortimer Collins' office, and the Glanafwyn lands became again the property of the Earl of Rochester--”for the sum of five thousand pounds received and herewith acknowledged,”

said the doc.u.ment.

Needless to say no five thousand pounds pa.s.sed hands. Collins, mystified, asked no questions in the presence of Mulhausen. When the latter had taken his departure, however, he turned to Jones.

”Did you pay him five thousand?” asked the lawyer.

”Not a cent,” replied the other.

”Well, how have you worked the miracle, then?”

Jones told.

”You see how I had them coopered,” finished he. ”Well, just as I was going to grab the kitty he played the ace of spades, produced an old doc.u.ment he held against me.”

”Yes?”

”I pondered for a moment--then I came to a swift conclusion--took the doc from him and ate it.”

”You ate the doc.u.ment?”

”Sure.”

Jones rubbed his stomach and laughed.

”Well, well,” said the solicitor with curious acquiescence and want of astonishment after the first momentary start caused by this surprising statement, ”we have the property back, that's the main thing.”

”You remember,” said Jones, ”I talked to you about letting that place.”