He had an exceedingly red nose, watery
eyes, and was dressed in deep mourning.
"Paul," Mr. Bundercombe said, "let me introduce you to Captain Duncan
Bannister and Mr. Cheape, his solicitor."
The two men rose and bowed in turn. I found it difficult to maintain a
tolerant attitude, but I did my best.
"These two gentlemen," Mr. Bundercombe continued cheerfully, "have come
round to blackmail me."
"Sir!" Captain Bannister exclaimed, with a great show of anger.
"Mr. Bundercombe!" the person called Mr. Cheape echoed.
They made rather a poor show of it, however. Mr. Bundercombe, wholly
unperturbed by their righteous indignation, smiled still benignly upon
them.
"Come, come!" he expostulated. "This is a business interview. Why mince
words?"
Captain Bannister rose to his feet. He turned toward me.
"Mr. Bundercombe," he explained, "either willfully or otherwise,
misinterprets the object of our coming. It is possible that his
nationality may have something to do with it. I have always understood
that the standard among Americans with regard to affairs of honor is
scarcely so high as in this country."
"Mr. Bundercombe has a habit of taking a common-sense view of things," I
remarked. "I cannot criticize his attitude, because I am ignorant of the
particulars.
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