Page:Barr--Stranleighs millions.djvu/168

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156
STRANLEIGH'S MILLIONS

and boxes that are outside his premises on the pavement."

"What is that you say?" cried the amazed lawyer.

"Isn't my statement perfectly clear? I wish to know if the excellent Greenleaves has the right to take up, for his own private purposes, space intended for the public."

"Oh, I see. Certainly he hasn't."

"Then enter a suit for damages against him."

"Oho!" cried the lawyer, drawing a pad of paper towards him and dipping a pen in the ink. "I think it isn't advice you want, but commands you are going to give."

"Perhaps. You will serve the writ, we will say, to-day. If to-morrow the boxes and barrels are still there in defiance of the law, bring another suit against him, and thus issue writ after writ until he clears the public space in front of his windows. Bring thirty actions at law against him if necessary, and remember to demur, and subpœna, and injunct, and every other thing your villainous profession can do to make it as expensive as possible, both for myself and Greenleaves, and be assured I don't care the toss of a copper whether I win or lose."

As the solicitor noted down particulars on his pad, he had placed an old pair of spectacles on his nose, which somehow added to the hideousness of