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He was seated with legs crossed in Oriental fashion and with head slightly bowed. His face was calm and dignified. It had an impassiveness which made an interminable distance between him and those who had till now looked upon him as a poor Chinky, doing a roustabout's work on a ranch, the handy-man, the Jack-of-all- trades.
Seeing which the gambler released his victim, who, limp and quivering, dropped to the floor. Still crazed with rage, Gilmore kicked the handy-man into a corner, and turning poured himself still another drink of whisky.
Reluctantly the handy-man sank into the chair indicated. "Now you old sot," began the gambler, "you listen to me! I suppose if they could shift suspicion so that it would appear you had had something to do with the old man's murder, it would take Moxlow and the judge and any decent jury no time at all to hang you; for who would care a damn whether you were hanged or not!
"Well, what else did you tell him?" he asked over the rim of his glass. "That's about all; only me and the judge understand each other," said the handy-man vaguely. "Well, it was enough!" rejoined Gilmore. "You are sure you didn't say anything about North?" Montgomery shook his head in vigorous denial. "Sure?" repeated Gilmore, his glance intent and piercing. "Sure?"
Byng for one; there was also Adrian Fellowes, who had been for a long time a kind of handy-man of the great house, doing the hundred things which only a private secretary, who was also a kind of master-of-ceremonies and lord-in-waiting, as it were, could do. Yes, there was Adrian Fellowes, the private secretary; and there was Mrs. Byng, who knew so much of what her husband knew!
And Langham glanced uncertainly at the handy-man. "Well, it's either that, or else I can knock him over the head. Perhaps you had rather do that, it's more in your line." "Boss, you give me the money and let me go now, and I won't ever come back!" cried Montgomery eagerly. "I been lookin' for the chance to get clear of this bum town!
"No, he ain't hanged yet but he will be in the morning!" she said. The handy-man sprang to his feet, knocking over the chair in which he had been seated. "What's that?" he roared. "Why, haven't you heard? He's to be hung in the morning." Joe glared at her with starting eyes. "What will they do that for hang him hang John North!" He tore off his ragged cap and dashed it to the floor at his feet.
The most ready way out of such difficulties was for the student to give his labour during certain hours of each day in return for his board. He was such an efficient house-servant that such an arrangement promised to be of advantage to both sides. He was appointed to the position of what we should call handy-man in the institution doorkeeper, porter, room-cleaner, man-of-all-work.
She could see in him the eternal handy-man of her delight, made for husbandhood and as clearly without nonsense as any working wife could have wished. Pa's nightshirt was blackened with great splashes of water, and the soaked parts clung tightly to his breast. At the neck it was already open, and they both thought they could see at this moment a quick contraction of the throat.
Yes, you bet I do!" And Montgomery by a not ungentle effort released himself from his wife's embrace. This act so restored his self-respect that he grinned pleasantly at her. "I don't know when I been so happy, Joe it's awful nice to have you back!" said Nellie, wiping her eyes on the corner of her apron. "There's some sense in your sayin' that," said the handy-man, shaking his head.
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