The Under Dog Part 33

"Yea--last night. He came and took it away. Here," (this to the two men) "shove it close to the wall," pointing to the cabinet. "There--now go down and get the top, and look out you don't break those little drawers.

What's the matter with you, Samuel? You look as if somebody had walked over your grave."

"And you had no trouble?"

"Trouble! What are you dilating about, Samuel? We never have any trouble up here."

"Then it's because I've kept him quiet. I've been three times this week and held him up--much as I could do to keep him from getting out a warrant."

"Who?"

"Your one-eyed dealer, as you call him."

"My one-eyed dealer isn't worrying, Samuel. Look at this," and he pulled out a receipted bill. "His name, isn't it? 'Received in full payment--Six hundred dollars.' Seems odd, Samuel, doesn't it?"

"Did your governor send the money?"

"Did my governor send the money! My governor isn't so obliging.

Here--don't stand there with your eyes hanging out on your cheeks; look on this--found it yesterday at Sighfor's. Isn't it a stunner? bottom modern except the feet, but the top is Sixteenth Century. See the way the tortoise-sh.e.l.l is worked in--lots of secret drawers, too, all through it--going to keep my bills in one of 'em and lose the key. What are you staring at, anyhow, Sam?"

"Well--but Jack--I don't see----"

"Of course you don't see! You think I robbed a bank or waylaid your Moneybags. I did--took twelve hundred dollars out of his clothes in a check on the spot--wrote it right there at that desk--for the Monet, and sent it home to his Palazzo da Avenue. Then I took his dirty check, indorsed it over to that one-eyed skinflint, got the balance in bills, bought the cabinet for five hundred and eighty-two dollars cash--forgive me, Samuel, but there was no other way--and here is just eighteen dollars to the good"--and he pulled out some bank-notes--"or was before I gave those two poor devils a dollar apiece for carrying up this cabinet. To-night, Samuel--to-night--we will dine at the Waldorf."