'
'But, Jerry, it's absurd. All I did was to give him a tip or two.
We were the only men down there, as it was out of the season, and
that drew us together. And when I spotted this slice of his I just
gave him a bit of advice. I give you my word that was all. He
can't have left me a fortune on the strength of that!'
'You don't tell the story right, Bill. I can guess what really
happened--to wit, that you gave up all your time to helping the
old fellow improve his game, regardless of the fact that it
completely ruined your holiday.'
'Oh, no!'
'It's no use sitting there saying "Oh, no!" I can see you at it.
The fact is, you're such an infernally good chap that something of
this sort was bound to happen to you sooner or later. I think
making you his heir was the only sensible thing old Nutcombe ever
did. In his place I'd have done the same.'
'But he didn't even seem decently grateful at the time.'
'Probably not. He was a queer old bird. He had a most almighty row
with the governor in this office only a month or two ago about
absolutely nothing. They disagreed about something trivial, and
old Nutcombe stalked out and never came in again. That's the sort
of old bird he was.'
'Was he sane, do you think?'
'Absolutely, for legal purposes. We have three opinions from leading
doctors--collected by him in case of accidents, I suppose--each of
which declares him perfectly sound from the collar upward.
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