J. B. M. Clarke, Jr.

“ The little animal looked up at him intelligently, and with a sudden movement Needham wound his great fingers about its throat. With a plaintive cry, the little creature made futile efforts to tear away the strong hand about its neck, plucking frantically with its small paws.
"Don't!" said Norton in a sharp voice. "I can't bear to see animals tormented."
"I'm not hurting her." said Needham, removing his hand. "She's a nervous little thing and must be taught not to be so frightened. I think the Italian must have ill-used her. But she is clever for all that," continued Needham laughing. ”

“ Through the half open doorway, he could now get a view of Needham's face, and its diabolical contortions were dreadful to behold. It was apparent that he was working the animal up to something, but what that something was the creature apparently did not seem to grasp.
Presently Needham made the strange clucking noise in his throat, at the same time stretching out his arms toward Norton. That gave the brute its clue. It rose unsteadily to its feet, and turning its evil eyes toward the recumbent figure of Norton, seemed about to spring at his throat. ”

“ Needham smiled too, and, glancing from one to the other, Meldrum felt his flesh creep slightly.
"Let us go," he said hastily. "We have seen enough of these brutes."
Needham acquiesced, and they made their way to the exit.
v.
"beastly clever things, though," said Needham, as they passed out into the clear night air. "And strong as the very devil. I think myself there is something in the old idea of the African natives that apes pretend not to understand speech for fear they should be made to work." He laughed his unpleasant laugh, and again Meldrum felt squeamish. ”

“ Indeed, it was only when Meldrum became aware, by the restless movements of his friend, that Norton was not enjoying himself that he recollected the lateness of the hour and suggested it was time they took their leave.
"You fellows mustn't be too critical of my quarters, you know," said Needham, laughing, as they descended the stair together. "I confess I am not a tidy person. I have lead the rough bachelor life too long. But you fellows should understand something about that." ”

“ He stood irresolutely in the hallway for some moments, and then, with a laugh, opened a drawer and drew forth a revolver, which he slipped into his overcoat pocket, after seeing that all its chambers were filled. He laughed again as he descended to the street, but drew some comfort, nevertheless, from the touch of the cold steel upon his hand. ”

“ The world is wide enough to hold both of you."
Often in the days that followed, Meldrum, moved by curiosity he could not quite account for, took his evening walk out on North Avenue past Needham's house. Of Needham himself he saw nothing. One he heard the weird tinkling of the piano, but generally the form of the little monkey in its red jacket could be seen sitting motionless at the upper front window looking out on the street. It struck Meldrum as strange that the creatures should sit so quietly. ”

“ Nervous persons kept to busy thoroughfares after dark. But the actual whereabouts of the creature remained a mystery.
Fresh stories went around of stealthy prowlings round houses and mysterious rattling of doors in the small hours of the morning. Chancing to see some of this in one of the evening papers, Meldrum's attention was again drawn to the subject, and there returned to his mind his encounter with Needham at the circus. Obeying a sudden impulse, he set off in the direction of Needham's dwelling in North Avenue. ”

“ The man is trying to be friendly to you and you keep rebuffing him. And as for 'giving him away' that's nonsense, and you know it. What have you to give away? Simply that you don't like him and have strange ideas about him? That won't hold water, you know. You had better forget your fancies and come along with me and see this new circus that has just struck the town. I notice by the placards they have some baboons and I am rather curious about the creatures since hearing Needham's stories. Come along! You need something to take you out yourself. ”

“ One big chipanzee went simply wild for a time—so much so that an attendant came along to see what the trouble was. It capered furiously, thundered at the bars of its cage, and then executed a hideous kind of cluttering dance, beating its hands and feet on the floor with extraordinary rapidity. ”

“ There was silence for several minutes, and then he burst out:
"And of course he pays attention to Elsie."
"Ah!" said Meldrum significantly. "Perhaps a lover's jealousy has something to do with the case."
"We met him one day on Church Street," said Norton. "and of course I had to introduce him. He made himself very agreeable, and yet it seemed to my fancy that he was not so much taken up with the girl as anxious to do me an ill turn. Other fellows pay attention to her, too, of course, but that's because they admire her. ”

“ Revolvers? We are all friends. Norton had a drop too much—old man baboon dropped in and joined the party—I was going to get him to do some tricks. . . ."
"That's quite enough," said Meldrum sharply. "You are no more drunk than I am. Open that window and let Norton have some air. Loosen his collar—"
A sudden chattering caused him to pause and drew his attention for a moment to the mantel over the fireplace, on to which the little monkey had suddenly jumped from some nearby corner.
"Ha, Fifi!" said Needham quickly. "Lights!" ”

“ Stumbling blindly in the darkness, Meldrum endeavored, without success to locate the switch in the hallway, but finally a faint glimmer showed him the outline of the front door, and he dashed forth into the street.
Several people had collected on hearing the shot, and aid was quickly forthcoming. Together with several neighbors and others, Meldrum again entered the house, and the light in the hall was turned on. ”

“ He crossed to the wall near the fireplace and switched on some lights that illuminated the whole room. Then, seeing Meldrum for the first time, he advanced toward him and shook hands.
"It's not quite the right thing to steal into a man's house in his way, I know," said Meldrum. "I am sorry if we startled you. We rang and raised a rumpus down below, but without effect. I was taking a walk with Norton after the storm, and it occurred to him to come up and see you and apologize for his absence this evening. So we came together."
"It's quite all right," said Needham, in his peculiar nasal tones. ”

“ It did not take much persuasion to induce Meldrum to consent, for, although a year or two Norton's senior and inclined in consequence to give him paternal advice now and again, he generally indulged his whims.
"You can't break a teacher of the lecturing habit," was the way Norton expressed it. ”

“ A curious thing I discovered was that when under the influence of liquor (and it's some sight to see, believe me!) they are peculiarly receptive to autosuggestion. I believe a fortune could be made by putting them through tricks in this way—if the authorities allowed it. ”