The Argosy, October 1906 — page 57: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

= Zoe ‘say oko a maint Don’t ~ the le issue. in “that fool fashion ! Be ee: f ~~ concern me, but 2 Pi Carter, readjusting the freshly. ‘pol jc - glasses, is Se hose he- raised the _ Newspaper, turned. > his hair so that the light came over his | <a : e > shoulder, ‘and read Ql. ae © Ton’t -work yourself up. about. its ee pit a x . eS Henry. It was the. first thought eg = ee &f FOUND. —This mor eee -€ame to me as‘I read it—that-you. must ES a oe as Es a inscribed with gilt initials. Finder have meant the ‘thing as a practical: joke. = = ne = “may recover same by Sallingeerad prov-| a8 g. = ‘property. ~ _Joseph F. Carter,~ _& Joyce, “ground floor, Brind-~ uilding, ‘Front Street, New York. Se: ries scowled and went through it -again—and | again. He dropped ‘the paper and turned to Joyce. * ‘ ag "Well, Joe?” said that gentleman. = age ‘ Something private? poe = ___, “ Not to the best of my knowledge.” tw ~ _ “What was i it? Let’s see the thing.” —__ * ¥ should be most happy to oblige,” =z - Eealed Carter, “but it doesn’t happen to be here just now.’” a “What! Did you get ‘rid “of it?” > Pd : SxS “J never saw-or heard of any little. mae "locked case, Henry!” Si so You didn’t find it? a aah « De “Of course not.” * “ Then whatever possessed you to in- ee =e that advertisement?” oe = Not: being quite insane,’ said Car- 2 : = = r, Pak SS r am forced to ee as 7 ; = s wide 2 "atl soe =i “ Certainty not. ”” Carter leaned back ze e, Sa) ~ almost grinned. “Come, come, Se oe aoe ‘Henry’s it’s silly. As a boy, I remember, you~ ‘were fond of a joke, but at your- = ee “of. life and such an absurd thing as ee “What's that? You mean that I— = = “Pshaw!” Carter looked ao a at him. “Own up, now. It was some gering spark of nonsensical boyishness. t led you to insert that advertisement ee yor were Ep on Park Row this: stared at him oa —sS ess - man!’ ” "he said, with much : of so unqualified a | piece of oe ’m not anxious to pry into what doesn’ ts had turned from _ him. "any one else would The Gold. bow planted firmly upon his : , imagine that I would, then ?”’ = 8 suits you better—well, I don’ t know oe only to shake his head rather hopelessly. asininity : ‘as te insertion of ‘that notice, have you?’ es Bees Se = “ Well— “Carter, - startled, was) rather lame i in “his. retorts= “a= —I—to. = tell the truth, I couldn’t’ imagine that aes = ee Rees deuce could you ween 5 Be Fa ee ~~ ys “And how ae . ern ‘The senior. partner laughed. oe 3 mise If you didn’t—or, as you didn’t, if that _ “what to make_of it!”’: ee. a) i. “No, nor I.” - Joyce crossed his legs aaa and regarded the other. * Joes ~yoie = didn’t find any case? sean ee we See Ss course didn’t. ” pe ea “Or you didn’ t—well, say Snythine eae to anybody that might have suggested. — 3 aoe Ss a case, or something else?” <a aS ~ What should lead me to say such a - — se 2 i en ifesacd it. 5 ae “= own stepped over and took up tees S Ss paper once more. His brow contracted -as he perused the mysterious little notice; =» and when he dropped the sheet, it was ‘x “It’s devilish cua = he submit- — ted, blankly. — ps aa : Well, I should ‘sa fit was!” ' Carter iss was. studyin g the adveftisement again. ; oe “T’s a—mistake of some kind.” Bi ‘“Mistake?’”” The senior — partner _ ae looked up, a BE quoted : — Joseph F. Car- — = Ss _ter, Carter & Joyce, ground floor, Brind- ley-Building, Front Street, New York.’ =a That doesn’t sound overmuch like a mis-. take, does it? It couldn’ t be much more ht ‘specific without pastas my pheto- : a graph, Henry.” ae. “ Then———" ae “No.” Carter, “too, dropped the — = paper and stared at his desk. “It’s 5 ee joke, or an attempt. Se a ike, on some = one’s part.” : on : “And a confoundedly es one, at. that ! Bee z so “ Absurd isn’t the name for it. It’s too trivial for any one but a child to . conceive—and yet, a child never wrote that notice.” Se “Then it must ae ees meant - to. anhoy you personally, Jot: » da — Te.