The Mystery of the Steel Disc | Page 7

night a week ago, when he came to see
me at the house."
"How long have you known him?"
"Nearly two years."
"How did you meet him?"
"Why, he knew papa at the bank, and one day when papa was ill he
sent for George to come up to the house to get some papers about his
accounts and papa introduced us. When we were first engaged, he did
not seem to dislike George, and often sat talking with him about
matters in the bank and other things."
"By the way, how old are you, Miss Anderson?"
She did not seem to mind the blunt question and replied quickly:
"I am twenty-one."
"Were you born in this country?"
"Yes, I was born in New York."
"Thank you, kindly; that is all," said Rand, and was promptly so deep
in thought that he barely rose and bowed as she left a few minutes later.
He kept his feet and put on his hat as if he, too, were going.
"I believe you told me that you were to go to Anderson's house to-night

and report, did you not?" he asked.
"Yes, I am sorry that I can not make a better showing both for my client
and for Rhodes."
"I suppose you mean that you hoped a man of my reputation would
have offered better support to you in yours," he observed with a
quizzical smile that nettled me as he walked over to the door.
"I should like to go with you, Mr. Duncan," he continued. "I will meet
you at the northwest corner of Gramercy Park at eight o'clock. Will you
be so kind as to bring young Rhodes with you? 'Phone him at the bank,
now, and you might come prepared for anything in the way of a fight
for--we will close up the case to-night."
He shut the door and went out. I was wild to call him back and get an
explanation, but pride restrained me.
That evening Rhodes met me by appointment at the Fifth Avenue Hotel
and we walked over to the corner Rand had named. We had been
standing there a moment when a carriage drove up, stopped, and Rand
alighted, followed by J. R. Farrington Smith and the brawny Indian.
I could see by the street light that Smith was very white, and the Indian
kept just at his elbow and a little behind him as they advanced to meet
us. Rand presented me to Smith, who bowed coldly. If Smith and
Rhodes exchanged salutations I did not notice it. Rand said to me as we
walked along to the house after he had told the cabman to wait for him:
"Will you kindly ask Mr. Anderson to see Mr. Duncan and some
gentlemen?"
I was angry with him for a number of small things which had occurred
during the day, but more than ever now for bringing Smith into the case,
and at Anderson's house, a proceeding which would be sure to involve
Anderson and his daughter in the expose' that must occur in so short a
time.

A little maid admitted us at a door beside Anderson's real estate office,
and passed back along a narrow hall and up to a well-furnished
apartment immediately over the offices. The maid vanished through
portieres, and I judged by the sounds that she found Anderson in the
third room to the rear. I could hear him clearing his throat as he came.
As he stepped through the portieres, I saw he was a man of fifty, of
good appearance, short and heavy, with large hands and a massive jaw.
His eyes were very small and nearly hidden by the overfolding wrinkles
about them.
"Good-evening, gentlemen," he said cheerily, looking about in a
pleasant though puzzled way. I rose and went forward, saying:
"I am Mr. Duncan, Mr. Anderson. I believe you know Mr. Smith and
Mr. Rhodes. This is Mr. Lawrence Rand, with whom I have consulted
in this matter."
The Indian, whom I scarcely knew how to consider, whether
companion of Rand's or his servant, had stepped back into the shadow
by the portieres, and I do not think Anderson saw him, so I made no
reference to him whatever. I was very busy thinking just what to say
and how to say it, for Rand's bringing Smith with him showed Smith
was informed in part or wholly, and was so unexpected that I had had
no chance to ask him aside just what the situation was. He left me in no
uncertainty. He gracefully superseded me in the initiative by drawing
back a chair at a small table in the centre of the room, in the full glow
of the shaded light, and saying:
"Would you mind sitting here, please, Mr. Anderson? I