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him and went to a third door。 He threw it open and stood aside。 ‘‘At
the end of the hall；'' he said。 ‘‘The door with Mr。 Loeb's name on it。
Knock and walk right in。''
Feuerstein followed the directions and found himself in a dingy little
room； smelling of mustiness and stale tobacco； and lined with law books；
almost all on crime and divorce。 Loeb； Lynn； Levy and McCafferty were
lawyers to the lower grades of the criminal and shady only。 They
defended thieves and murderers； they prosecuted or defended scandalous
divorce cases； they packed juries and suborned perjury and they tutored
false witnesses in the way to withstand cross…examination。 In private life
they were four home…loving； law…abiding citizens。
Loeb looked up from his writing and said with contemptuous
cordiality： ‘‘Oh Mr。 Feuerstein。 Glad to see youAGAIN。 What's
the troubleNOW？''
At ‘‘again'' and ‘‘now'' Feuerstein winced slightly。 He looked
nervously at Loeb。
‘‘It's beenlet me seeat least seven years since I saw you；'' continued
Loeb； who was proud of his amazing memory。 He was a squat； fat man；
with a coarse brown skin and heavy features。 He was carefully groomed
and villainously perfumed and his clothes were in the extreme of the
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THE FORTUNE HUNTER
loudest fashion。 A diamond of great size was in his bright…blue scarf；
another； its match； loaded down his fat little finger。 Both could be
unscrewed and set in a hair ornament which his wife wore at first nights or
when they dined in state at Delmonico's。 As he studied Feuerstein； his
face had its famous smile； made by shutting his teeth together and drawing
his puffy lips back tightly from them。
‘‘That is all past and gone；'' said Feuerstein。 ‘‘As a lad I was saved
by you from the consequences of boyish folly。 And now； a man grown； I
come to you to enlist your aid in avenging an insult to my honor； an''
‘‘Be as brief as possible；'' cut in Loeb。 ‘‘My time is much occupied。
The bald facts； pleaseFACTS； and BALD。''
Feuerstein settled himself and prepared to relate his story as if he were
on the stage； with the orchestra playing low and sweet。 ‘‘I met a woman
and loved her；'' he began in a deep； intense voice with a passionate
tremolo。
‘‘A bad start；'' interrupted Loeb。 ‘‘If you go on that way； we'll never
get anywhere。 You're a frightful fakir and liar； Feuerstein。 You were；
seven years ago； of course； the habit's grown on you。 Speak out！ What
do you want？ As your lawyer； I must know things exactly as they are。''
‘‘I ran away with a girlthe daughter of the brewer； Peter Ganser；''
said Feuerstein； sullen but terse。 ‘‘And her father wouldn't receive me
shut her upput me out。''
‘‘And you want your wife？''
‘‘I want revenge。''
‘‘Of coursecash。 Well； Ganser's a rich man。 I should say he'd give
up a good deal to get rid of YOU。'' Loeb gave that mirthless and mirth…
strangling smile as he accented the ‘‘you。''
‘‘He's got to give up！'' said Feuerstein fiercely。
‘‘Slowly！ Slowly！'' Loeb leaned forward and looked into Feuerstein's
face。 ‘‘You mustn't forget。''
Feuerstein's eyes shifted rapidly as he said in a false voice： ‘‘She got
a divorce years ago。''
‘‘M…m…m；'' said Loeb。
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THE FORTUNE HUNTER
‘‘Anyhow； she's away off in Russia。''
‘‘I don't want you to confess a crime you haven't come to me about；''
said Loeb； adding with peculiar emphasis： ‘‘Of course； if we KNEW you
were still married to the Mrs。 Feuerstein of seven years ago we couldn't
take the present case。 As it isthe best way is to bluff the old brewer。
He doesn't want publicity； neither do you。 But you know he doesn't； and
he doesn't know that you love quiet。''
‘‘Ganser treated me infamously。 He must sweat for it。 I'm nothing
if not a good hater。''
‘‘No doubt；'' said Loeb dryly。 ‘‘And you have rights which the law
safeguards。''
‘‘What shall I do？''
‘‘Leave that to us。 How much do you wanthow much damages？''
‘‘He ought to pay at least twenty…five thousand。''
Loeb shrugged his shoulders。 ‘‘Ridiculous！'' he said。 ‘‘Possibly the
five without the twenty。 And how do you expect to pay us？''
‘‘I'm somewhat pressed just at the moment。 But I thought''
Feuerstein halted。
‘‘That we'd take the case as a speculation？ Well； to oblige an old
client； we will。 But you must agree to give us all we can get over and
above five thousandhalf what we get if it's below that。''
‘‘Those are hard terms；'' remonstrated Feuerstein。 The more he had
thought on his case； the larger his expectations had become。
‘‘Very generous terms； in the circumstances。 You can take it or leave
it。''
‘‘I can't do anything without you。 I accept。''
‘‘Very well。'' Loeb took up his pen； as if he were done with
Feuerstein； but went on： ‘‘And you're SURE that thethe FORMER Mrs。
Feuerstein is divorcedand won't turn up？''
‘‘Absolutely。 She swore she'd never enter any country where I was。''
‘‘Has she any friends who are likely to hear of this？''
‘‘She knew no one here。''
‘‘All right。 Go into the room to the left there。 Mr。 Travis or Mr。
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Gordon will take your statement of the factsnames； dates； all details。
Good morning。''
Feuerstein went to Travis； small and sleek； smooth and sly。 When
Travis had done with him； he showed him out。 ‘‘Call day after to…
morrow；'' he said； ‘‘and when you come； ask for me。 Mr。 Loeb never
bothers with these small cases。''
Travis reported to Loeb half an hour later； when Feuerstein's statement
had been typewritten。 Loeb read the statement through twice with great
care。
‘‘Most complete； Mr。 Travis；'' was his comment。 ‘‘You've done a