CHAPTER X

ALMOST A TRAGEDY

A day or two after the sale of the Majestic, while the preparation of
the transfer papers was going on, Mr. McLain's young man, who was acting
as his secretary and clerk, asked his employer to be relieved of his
present duties.

"Why, what is the matter, Hiram?" asked Mr. McLain. "Don't you like
your job?"

"Yes, sir," was the prompt reply, "but I have got a place that suits me
better, and, besides, I shall make more money."

"Where are you going?"

"Major Bancroft has given me the chief clerkship at the hotel."

"Ah, I didn't know that you had met the major. What will he do
with Case?"

"I do not know."

"Well, it will be several days before he gets possession. When do you
want to leave me?"

The reply was: "I should like to be released tonight, as Mr. Case is
going to show me how to do the work."

"Very well," replied Mr. McLain, "come to me tomorrow morning and I will
settle with you."

* * * * *

"Nick Hanson, Genesee House, Buffalo, N.Y., U.S.A: Come quick. Your man
is here. Risis--Montreal."

Hanson received this telegram at seven o'clock in the morning, while
eating his breakfast in the old Genesee House, Buffalo. In thirty minutes
he was on the Niagara Express. That night about ten o'clock two men
walked into the public room of the Majestic. Just outside the office
door, in a lounging chair, sat the prospective landlord, as everybody
called him. One of the newcomers was Ben Loring, a well-known detective
of the Montreal department; the other our old friend Nick Hanson.

"Hello, Blair!" exclaimed Nick, in his usual jovial tones, as if greeting
an old friend, as he confidently held out his hand.

At that instant, instead of receiving a handshake, he received a
tremendous blow on the neck, just the place which pugilists aim for. Nick
staggered and almost fell. This blow was not struck by the major, but by
his new clerk, who had not been observed by either of the newcomers.

"Two can play at that game," muttered Ben Loring, as he felled Hiram to
the floor with a sweeping blow, and in half a minute Ben had his nippers
on the young man's wrists. "I'll teach you to interfere with an officer
in the line of duty," he added.

In the meantime, as Nick staggered up, and the major saw him gaining his
equilibrium, he succeeded in drawing a revolver, but as he raised it to
about the level of Hanson's breast that athlete kicked the hand t