Canadian fiction -- 20th century; Detective and mystery stories
Bobo's face cleared. "Will I do it----" he began again.
"Hold on! There are two conditions. You must promise to do everything
I tell you. And second, you are not to marry any woman under false
pretences."
"I promise," said Bobo.
"Good! It's a bargain. From this moment you are John Farrow Norman,
the newly-made millionaire, and I am plain Jack Robinson, your
secretary."
They shook hands across the table.
8
As the two young men left the café Bobo said: "Where are we going now?"
"First we must find quarters," said Jack. "We don't want to carry
these valises around all night."
To the chauffeur who opened the taxi door for them Jack said: "Hotel
Madagascar."
"My God!" murmured the still dazed Bobo.
As they entered the gorgeous lobby of the famous hotel Bobo was
overcome with self-consciousness. Bobo had always thought of the
Madagascar as the abiding place of remote and exalted aristocrats. He
slunk at Jack's heels with the yellow stick trailing limply.
"Buck up! Buck up!" whispered Jack. "Remember you are the cheese, and
I'm only the mite that lives off it."
"Sure! Sure!" murmured Bobo, moistening his lips.
He made an effort, but quailed again before the sharp-eyed bell-boys.
Jack reflected that since he was only supposed to be the millionaire of
a day, this would appear natural enough.
"Sign the register," he whispered. "Remember you are John Farrow
Norman, and I am John Robinson."
Bobo accomplished this all right. As the clerk nonchalantly spun the
card around and read the name, he caught his breath slightly, and a
wonderful silkiness crept into his voice.
"Very pleased to have you with us, sir. In a way I hope it's like
coming home."
The other men behind the desk, arrested by the note of exceeding
deference, made excuses to sidle past and glance at the register.
Instantly a kind of electric current charged the office, and was
presently communicated to the bell-boys' bench, whence it spread
throughout the lobby. "It's Jack Norman," the busy whisper went around.
"I hope you're going to remain with us permanently, Mr. Norman," added
the clerk. "What accommodations will you require?"
Bobo, child of nature, rebounded like a rubber ball, feeling the
immense respect conveyed by the whole surrounding atmosphere. Once
more the chest went out, and the yellow stick was elevated to the
ceiling.
"--Er--my secretary will arrange the details with you," he drawled,
turning away languidly. One could see his fingers absently feeling for
the monocle which ought to have been dangling against his waistcoat
button.
Jack stepped forward, modest and business-like. "Mr. Norman wishes to
know if the suite occupied by the late Mr. Gyde is available."
"It's empty, I suppose," was the deprecating reply, "but that is
outside my province. I assure you the rooms are very undesirable. Mr.
Gyde, you know, was most eccentric."
"But Mr. Norman has been told there was a steel vault in connection,
which he thought might be useful."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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