Miser Farebrother: A Novel (vol. 3 of 3)Farjeon, B. L. (Benjamin Leopold)
General
Miser Farebrother: A Novel (vol. 3 of 3)
Farjeon, B. L. (Benjamin Leopold)
Fiction
"Nothing; but judging in a general way, I should say she has only
recently returned from foreign parts with the idea of obtaining from
Jeremiah Pamflett a share of the proceeds of the robbery."
"A share of the money he received from Miser Farebrother for the
bracelet that was stolen? Yes, that is a natural conclusion." The young
lawyer rose from his seat and went to a corner of the room where a great
pile of newspapers lay. "Mr. Cornwall keeps a file of the _Times_ for
reference; it will help us." He searched through the papers, and soon
found the one he wanted. He smiled quietly as he looked down the
columns. "It is as I suspected. The account of the robbery of the
diamond bracelet was first published on the day preceding that upon
which Miser Farebrother was murdered." They all started at this. And the
young lawyer proceeded: "Let us build up a theory. Jeremiah Pamflett
takes a diamond bracelet of great value to his master, and upon the
strength of his representations Miser Farebrother advances a sum of
money upon it--believing the stones to be genuine. On the day before his
death a newspaper falls into his hands, and he learns from it that he
has been tricked--that the bracelet has been stolen, and that the
diamonds are false. We know that the one passion of his life is
money--it is his idol, his god. We have it in evidence that on that day,
in the afternoon, doubtless, after he made this discovery, he sent a
telegram to Jeremiah Pamflett in London, requesting his manager's
attendance at Parksides. Miser Farebrother was not in the habit of
wasting money upon telegrams; hence his sending of this message was
prompted by some particular motive--say the demand from Jeremiah
Pamflett for the restitution of the money of which he has been
defrauded. Before this scoundrel leaves London for Parksides he also has
learnt that a trick has been played upon him by Captain Ablewhite and
the woman who has tracked him down. At Parksides a stormy scene takes
place between the miser and his scoundrel manager. The miser threatens
criminal proceedings, but perhaps gives the scoundrel time to refund
the money he has advanced. They part with feelings of bitter rage
towards each other. What course is now open to Jeremiah Pamflett? Has he
the money to refund? Unlikely. Can he borrow it? Quite as unlikely. I
bear in mind what I gathered from you, Fred, respecting the bill for
three hundred pounds which Mr. Lethbridge accepted. You arranged for the
payment of that bill with a betting man, who had received it from
Jeremiah Pamflett. Natural inference: that the scoundrel Jeremiah had
been backing horses, and losing. If necessary, we will look that betting
man up. Not seeing his way to refund the money which has been advanced
on the bracelet, nothing but exposure and disgrace lies before Jeremiah
Pamflett. How to avoid impending ruin? How to avoid a felon's fate?
Miser Farebrother lives practically alone in the house at Parksides,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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