The Argosy, October 1906 — page 64: what you’re looking at

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

Cos Ee Ficoe we wh Patil it have. been? = See _ Seneiine ae valuable t to the And Se was he so ex- nad who on. earth is this Bene- And why was the man so fear- a afraid of him?” | Ore laughed shortly. ~~ “Tf JT could answer all that, Joe, I'd | get eut of this business and make a for- “tune at clairvoyancy. Perhaps Mr. ; Ormsby could tel.” _ Carter ran his fingers through his hair. _ “We have no business to be wasting valuable time with this fool affair, but it has made me about as curious as a man ~ could be and live. I———” he pressed the button. ‘ Ah, Sostat Ask Mr. - Ormsby to step in “here, please.” == Both= partners, | it is likely, expected - = another maniac. In that they were com- ee pletely disappointed. Arthur Ormsby, it appeared, was a = <s - well- dressed little man—quite the ordi-— Ss nary, every-day person of the business. a | a sie WOTKG. His smile was suave and open, sees Ais step firm and resolute. - ae = He entered and nodded politi to J = both men, placed his hat upon Carter’s - desk and, following the senior partner’s _ invitation, drew up a ay A and removed his gloves. ‘“ Now—er—which of you i is Mr. Car oes Sa ter? PI : ” Ss cao Carter was regarding him curi- ar ously. ——— Quite. so, Mr. Carter. There was an advertisement in one of the evening papers, regarding a little black epee Case See a yee gee s tone was even. “The notice directed the owner to ap- _ ply to you at this office, I —— Mr. Carter.” “Tt did.” “The other smiled contentedly. ‘“Well—I’m very glad to hear it, sir. -I lost such a case this morning, and I believe that it is the one you mention.” Carter nodded expectantly. = “This case,” pursued the visitor, ‘ is a small affair of black seal leather with a small, somewhat peculiar nickel Tock =. at. the Feont. It bears the initials of my - _=er—brother-in-law, to whom it be- coe See | | ~ mr s “more complete.” 3 SS his face went just a shade pale a oS ee Se — *T see,.” Carter ‘bowed. Sa “And ‘the =e initials—were——" ee ee dane BEF R.”’ a = = “Ah, yes. The case you lost was — <— locked, you say?” aoe ~ = aac managed a shrewd glance at =. | Joyce, unseen by the visitor. They were on the track of some information which, — from sheer curiosity, he desired very much. Now, with his customary fists: SSS ~— macy, Carter meant to obtain it. = - "Mr. Ormsby, what did that case con- tain, may I ask?” ; = The man. started. SoS “Why do you ask?” = Si ee ‘““Merely to make the- jdentification ee .‘““ But you haven’t opened it?” “What did the case contain? ” _ “Tf you haven’t broken the foo ” said - = Mr. Ormsby, calmly, ° ‘you don't know == = what it contains.’ See “That isn’t exactly answering “my eS original question.” : ——- "Dm aware. of hat Mr. Carter,” = smiled Ormsby, “but I fail to see its relevancy.” = Ses Carter, too, was ese to smile. In the ‘business -world he possessed some- thing of a reputation for getting at what he wanted to know ; here was a foeman Se worthy of his best effort. Se “Isn’t it conceivable, — Mr. Ormsby, — that the lock might have broken <i the case was dropped?” “Tt is not! You haven’ t seein ne that lock, or you would not sug Bgest ae = possibility.” ——— See The senior partner was. just é a little Sea abashed. The positive assertiveness — in” Ormsby’s tone was not altogether ex- pected. However, he tried another tack. __ “*So the ‘case belongs t to ‘you, does it, = Mr. Ormsby?” Gertainly.” “ And not to Mr. bone?” — = He shot the suelo out. Silden ; the other, and watched for its eff Ormsby certainly started! then reddened slightly. ._The smal. sat back, and a faint grimace _appeare at the corner of his mouth, “Pshaw!” he said. are—er—wise!” =