Page:Barr--Stranleighs millions.djvu/232

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STRANLEIGH'S MILLIONS

carried a crowd of passengers such as is transported by an Atlantic liner. You can go down to Southampton, and fit up two or three rooms for yourself on the yacht; rooms at the end of a corridor where you can secure the door with a Yale lock, the keys of which will be in the possession only of yourself, myself, and your assistant. As you are by way of being an invalid, your assistant can pose as your attendant, and if you are a good deal in your own room, rather than up on deck, your absence on that account will not be noticed. You name the doctor you want to come with us, and I'll pay him any fee he asks. If Jack Hazel makes any objections, why then I'll charter a yacht for ourselves, and decline his invitation, but I am sure he will interpose no obstacle. He's too good-hearted a chap, and I'll tell him an invalid friend of mine wishes to fit up three or four rooms in such a manner that his cure will be facilitated. Why, hang it all, even your apparatus won't arouse suspicion, for electricity is a well-known remedial agency."

At this point the conversation was interrupted by the third entrance of Perkins.

"Mr. Peter Mackeller, my lord."

"Oh, I must see Peter. Ask him to wait for five minutes. Bring him here five minutes from now."

When Perkins retired, Stranleigh said:

"I'm going to introduce you to a man of whom I advise you to make a confidant. He is the only