"Thank you, no," I snapped.
"Suit yourself, Mr. Glenarm." He seemed to like my
name and gave it a disagreeable drawling emphasis.
"Morgan, you are an infernal blackguard. You have
tried twice to kill me-"
"We'll call it that, if you like,"-and he grinned.
"But you'd better cut off one for this."
He lifted the gray fedora hat from his head, and
poked his finger through a hole in the top.
"You're a pretty fair shot, Mr. Glenarm. The fact
about me is,"-and he winked,-"the honest truth is,
I'm all out of practice. Why, sir, when I saw you paddling
out on the lake this afternoon I sighted you from
the casino half a dozen times with my gun, but I was
afraid to risk it." He seemed to be shaken with inner
mirth. "If I'd missed, I wasn't sure you'd be scared to
death!"
For a novel diversion I heartily recommend a meeting
with the assassin who has, only a few days or hours
before, tried to murder you. I know of nothing in the
way of social adventure that is quite equal to it. Morgan
was a fellow of intelligence and, whatever lay back
of his designs against me, he was clearly a foe to reckon
with. He stood in the doorway calmly awaiting my
next move. I struck a match on my box and lighted a
cigarette.
"Morgan, I hope you understand that I am not responsible
for any injury my grandfather may have inflicted
on you. I hadn't seen him for several years before
he died. I was never at Glenarm before in my
life, so it's a little rough for you to visit your displeasure
on me."
He smiled tolerantly as I spoke. I knew-and he
knew that I did-that no ill feeling against my grandfather
lay back of his interest in my affairs.
"You're not quite the man your grandfather was, Mr.
Glenarm. You'll excuse my bluntness, but I take it
that you're a frank man. He was a very keen person,
and, I'm afraid,"-he chuckled with evident satisfaction
to himself,-"I'm really afraid, Mr. Glenarm, that
you're not!"
"There you have it, Morgan! I fully agree with you!
I'm as dull as an oyster; that's the reason I've called on
you for enlightenment. Consider that I'm here under a
flag of truce, and let's see if we can't come to an agreement."
"It's too late, Mr. Glenarm; too late. There was a
time when we might have done some business; but that's
past now. You seem like a pretty decent fellow, too,
and I'm sorry I didn't see you sooner; but better luck
next time."
He stroked his yellow beard reflectively and shook his
head a little sadly. He was not a bad-looking fellow;
and he expressed himself well enough with a broad western
accent.