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make enough to go on withuntil I see my family。〃
〃If they won't see you？〃 I asked。 〃What then？〃
He shrugged his shoulders and sighed lightly； almost with relief；
as though for him the prospect held no terror。
〃Then it's 'Good…night； nurse；'〃 he said。 〃And I won't be a
bother to anybody any more。〃
I told him his nerves were talking； and talking rot； and I gave
him the sleeping…draft and sent him to bed。
It was not until after luncheon the next day when he made his
first appearance on deck that I again saw my patient。 He was once
more a healthy picture of a young Englishman of leisure； keen；
smart； and fit； ready for any exercise or sport。 The particular
sport at which he was so expert I asked him to avoid。
〃Can't be done！〃 he assured me。 〃I'm the loser； and we dock
to…morrow morning。 So tonight I've got to make my killing。〃
It was the others who made the killing。
I came into the smoking…room about nine o'clock。 Talbot alone was
seated。 The others were on their feet； and behind them in a wider
semicircle were passengers； the smoking…room stewards and the
ship's purser。
Talbot sat with his back against the bulkhead； his hands in the
pockets of his dinner coat； from the corner of his mouth his long
cigarette…holder was cocked at an impudent angle。 There was a
tumult of angry voices； and the eyes of all were turned upon him。
Outwardly at least he met them with complete indifference。 The
voice of one of my countrymen； a noisy pest named Smedburg； was
raised in excited accusation。
〃When the ship's surgeon first met you；〃 he cried； 〃you called
yourself Lord Ridley。〃
〃I'll call myself anything I jolly well like；〃 returned Talbot。
〃If I choose to dodge reporters； that's my pidgin。 I don't have
to give my name to every meddling busybody that〃
〃You'll give it to the police； all right；〃 chortled Mr。 Smedburg。
In the confident； bullying tones of the man who knows the crowd
is with him； he shouted： 〃And in the meantime you'll keep out of
this smoking…room！〃
The chorus of assent was unanimous。 It could not be disregarded。
Talbot rose and with fastidious concern brushed the cigarette
ashes from his sleeve。 As he moved toward the door he called
back： 〃Only too delighted to keep out。 The crowd in this room
makes a gentleman feel lonely。〃
But he was not to escape with the last word。
His prosecutor pointed his finger at him。
〃And the next time you take the name of Adolph Meyer；〃 he
shouted； 〃make sure first he hasn't a friend on board； some one
to protect him from sharpers and swindlers〃
Talbot turned savagely and then shrugged his shoulders。
〃Oh； go to the devil！〃 he called； and walked out into the night。
The purser was standing at my side and； catching my eye； shook
his head。
〃Bad business；〃 he exclaimed。
〃What happened？〃 I asked。
〃I'm told they caught him dealing from the wrong end of the
pack；〃 he said。 〃I understand they suspected him from the
firstseems our surgeon recognized himand to…night they had
outsiders watching him。 The outsiders claim they saw him slip
himself an ace from the bottom of the pack。 It's a pity！ He's a
nice…looking lad。〃
I asked what the excited Smedburg had meant by telling Talbot not
to call himself Meyer。
〃They accused him of travelling under a false name；〃 explained
the purser； 〃and he told 'em he did it to dodge the ship's news
reporters。 Then he said he really was a brother of Adolph Meyer；
the banker； but it seems Smedburg is a friend of Meyer's； and he
called him hard！ It was a silly ass thing to do；〃 protested the
purser。 〃Everybody knows Meyer hasn't a brother； and if he hadn't
made THAT break he might have got away with the other one。 But
now this Smedburg is going to wireless ahead to Mr。 Meyer and to
the police。〃
〃Has he no other way of spending his money？〃 I asked。
〃He's a confounded nuisance！〃 growled the purser。 〃He wants to
show us he knows Adolph Meyer； wants to put Meyer under an
obligation。 It means a scene on the wharf； and newspaper talk；
and；〃 he added with disgust； 〃these smoking…room rows never
helped any line。〃
I went in search of Talbot； partly because I knew he was on the
verge of a collapse； partly； as I frankly admitted to myself；
because I was sorry the young man had come to grief。 I searched
the snow…swept decks； and then； after threading my way through
faintly lit tunnels； I knocked at his cabin。 The sound of his
voice gave me a distinct feeling of relief。 But he would not
admit me。 Through the closed door he declared he was 〃all right；〃
wanted no medical advice； and asked only to resume the sleep he
claimed I had broken。 I left him； not without uneasiness； and the
next morning the sight of him still in the flesh was a genuine
thrill。 I found him walking the deck carrying himself
nonchalantly and trying to appear unconscious of the
glancesamused； contemptuous； hostilethat were turned toward
him。 He would have passed me without speaking； but I took his arm
and led him to the rail。 We had long passed quarantine and a
convoy of tugs were butting us into the dock。
〃What are you going to do？〃 I asked。
〃Doesn't depend on me；〃 he said。 〃Depends on Smedburg。 He's a
busy little body！〃
The boy wanted me to think him unconcerned； but beneath the
flippancy I saw the nerves jerking。 Then quite simply he began to
tell me。 He spoke in a low； even monotone； dispassionately； as
though for him the incident no longer was of interest。
〃They were watching me；〃 he said。 〃But I knew they were； and
besides； no matter how close they watched I could have done what
they said I did and they'd never have seen it。 But I didn't。〃
My scepticism must have been obvious； for he shook his head。
〃I didn't！〃 he repeated stubbornly。 〃I didn't have to！ I was
playing in luckwonderful lucksheer； dumb luck。 I couldn't
HELP winning。 But because I was winning and because they were
watching； I was careful not to win on my own deal。 I laid down；
or played to lose。 It was the cards they GAVE me I won with。 And
when they jumped me I told 'em that。 I could have proved it if
they'd listened。 But they were all up in the air； shouting and
spitting at me。 They believed what they wanted to believe； they
didn't want the facts。〃
It may have been credulous of me； but I felt the boy was telling
the truth； and I was deeply sorry he had not stuck to it。 So；
rather harshly； I said：
〃They didn't want you to tell them you were a brother to Adolph
Meyer； either。 Why did you think you could get away with anything
like that？〃
Talbot did not answer。
〃Why？〃 I insisted。
The boy laughed impudently。
〃How the devil was I to know he hadn't a brother？〃 he protested。
〃It was a good name； and he's a Jew； and two of the six who were
in the game are Jews。 You know how they stick together。 I thought
they might stick by me。〃
〃But you；〃 I retorted impatiently； 〃are not a Jew！〃
〃I am not；〃 said Talbot； 〃but I've often SAID I was。 It's
helpedlots of times。 If I'd told you my name was Cohen； or
Selinsky； or Meyer； instead of Craig Talbot； YOU'D have thought
I was a Jew。〃 He smiled and turned his face toward me。 As though
furnishing a description for the police； he began to enumerate：
〃Hair； dark and curly； eyes； poppy； lips； full； nose； Roman or
Hebraic； according to taste。 Do you see？〃
He shrugged his shoulders。
〃But it didn't work；〃 he concluded。 〃I picked the wrong Jew。〃
His face grew serious。 〃Do you suppose that Smedburg person has
wirelessed that banker？〃
I told him I was afraid he had already sent the message。
〃And what will Meyer do？〃 he asked。 〃Will he drop it or make a
fuss？ What sort is he？〃
Briefly I described Adolph Meyer。 I explained him as the richest
Hebrew in New York； given to charity； to philanthropy； to the
betterment of his own race。
〃Then maybe；〃 cried Talbot hopefully； 〃he won't make a row； and
my family won't hear of it！〃
He drew a quick breath of relief。 As though a burden had been
lifted； his shoulders straightened。
And then suddenly； harshly； in open panic； he exclaimed aloud：
〃Look！〃 he whispered。 〃There； at the end of the wharfthe little
Jew in furs！〃
I followed the direction of his eyes。 Below us o