Shorty McCabe on the Job | Page 4

as co-executors with me for the
estate of the late Curtis B. Gordon."
At which J. Bayard gasps. "I?" says he. "An executor for Pyramid
Gordon?"
Judson nods. "I understand," says he, "that you were--ah--not on
friendly terms with Mr. Gordon. But he was a somewhat unusual man,
you know. In this instance, for example, he has selected Professor
McCabe, whom he designates as one of his most trusted friends, and
yourself, whom he designates as his--ah--oldest enemy. No offense, I
hope?"
"Quite accurate, so far as I am concerned," says Steele.
"Very well," says the lawyer. "Then I may read the terms of his will
that he wishes us to carry out."
And, believe me, even knowin' some of the odd streaks of Pyramid
Gordon the way I did, this last and final sample had me bug-eyed
before Judson got through! It starts off straight enough, with
instructions to deal out five thousand here and ten there, to various
parties,--his old office manager, his man Minturn, that niece of his out
in Denver, and so on. But when it come to his scheme for disposin' of
the bulk of his pile--well, just lemme sketch it for you!
Course, I can't give it to you the way Pyramid had it put down; but here
was the gen'ral plan: Knowin' he had to take the count, he'd been
chewin' things over. He wa'n't squealin', or tryin' to square himself

either here or beyond. He'd lived his own life in his own way, and he
was standin' pat on his record. He knew he'd put over some raw deals;
but the same had been handed to him. Maybe he'd hit back at times
harder'n he'd been hit. If he had, he wa'n't sorry. He'd only played the
game accordin' to the rules he knew.
Still, now that it was most over, he had in mind a few cases where he'd
always meant to sort of even things up if he could. There was certain
parties he'd thrown the hooks into kind of deep maybe, durin' the heat
of the scrap; and afterwards, from time to time, he'd thought he might
have a chance to do 'em a good turn,--help 'em back to their feet again,
or something like that. But somehow, with bein' so busy, and kind of
out of practice at that sort of thing, he'd never got around to any of 'em.
So now he was handin' over the job to us, all in a lump.
"And I have here," goes on Mr. Judson, exhibitin' a paper, "a list of
names and addresses. They are the persons, Mr. Steele, on whose
behalf you are requested, with the advice and help of Professor
McCabe, to perform some kind and generous act. My part will be
merely to handle the funds." And he smiles confidin' at J. Bayard.
Mr. Steele has been listenin' close, his ears cocked, and them shifty
eyes of his takin' in every move; but at this last he snorts. "Do you
mean to say," says he, "that I am asked to--er--to play the good fairy to
persons who have been wronged by Pyramid Gordon?"
"Precisely," says the lawyer. "They number something over twenty, I
believe; but the fund provided is quite ample--nearly three millions, if
we are able to realize on all the securities."
"But this is absurd," says J. Bayard, "asking me to distribute gifts and
so on to a lot of strangers with whom I have nothing in common,
except, perhaps, a common enemy! A fine time I'd have, wouldn't I,
explaining that----"
"Pardon me," breaks in Judson, "but one of the conditions is that it
must all be done anonymously; at least, so far as the late Mr. Gordon is
concerned. As for your own identity in the several cases, you may

make it known or not, as you see fit."
"How truly fascinating!" sneers Mr. Steele, gettin' up and reachin' for
his hat. "To go about like an unseen ministering angel, trying to salve
the bygone bruises of those who were unlucky enough to get in
Pyramid Gordon's way! Beautiful! But unfortunately I have other
affairs."
He was startin' for the door too, when Judson smiles quiet and holds up
a stayin' hand. "Just a moment more," says the lawyer. "You may be
interested to hear of another disposition decided upon by Mr. Gordon in
the event of your refusal to act in this capacity."
"He might have known me better," says Steele.
"Perhaps he did," says Judson. "I should hardly say that he lacked
insight or shrewdness. He was a man too, who was quite accustomed to
having his own way. In this instance he had rather a respectable fortune
to dispose of according to his own somewhat original ideas. Leave it to
public institutions