Argosy, Vol. 119, No. 2 — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

a = SEVEN MINUTES AFTER, 175 the hotel premises, and he did net approve of it. He had told the management that if a hall was hired, as usual, the baggage would fetch more money. He meant to act so that his words would prove true, and on the next occasion he could work in a hall, from the rent of which he could graft a nice little sum. But he had to be guard- ed about it, or the hotel officials would get on to his game. , He glanced perfunctorily at the small trunk and old grip labeled “ Lot 245,” that now. was placed before him, and began his offer for bids, his hammer already poised to knock it down for a few dollars. Then, to this surprise, a cultured, drawling voice said: “ Twenty dollars.”’ Miss Ferndale recognized the voice, but she could not understand it. What could Willard Fane want with an old, battered trunk that looked as if it came off the prai- ries? It was evidently home-made; on the end nearest her the initials S. T. R. had been painted by some one who knew little about the art of lettering. Also, the trunk was small, and the grip that accompanied it was of the old collapsible pattern that had followed the still more ancient carpet- bag. It was wrinkled and dusty, and alto- gether undesirable. At the most it might be worth ten dollars; yet he had bidden twenty. She turned to Peters, whispering a question. ‘Is Miss Letherby there, too?” Peters nodded. He was smiling as one smiles at a spoilt child. Miss Ferndale smiled back, understanding the cause of his mirth. She had felt that way about Ara- minta often, when some whim seized her to possess something bizarre and unsatisfac- tory—a whim that she would move heaven and earth to satisfy. Her quick brain rea- soned it out something like this, which was Surprisingly near. the truth, too, as Peters informed her later: In some way Araminta had heard of this auction of baggage held by the hotel in lieu of unpaid accounts, and insisted on attend- ing it. Then, whimsical as ever, she had Set her heart on this absurd, small trunk with the hall-marks of Western origin, and Willard Fane had undertaken to get it for her. | a Se eS ee ee ‘It was a perverse desire te hide her child- ish wish from her secretary that had made - her sulky just now. With her lips curving in a smile, Anita Stayed until the wily auctioneer, getting Somewhere near the truth, had run the price up to fifty dollars, doing it so swiftly, too, that the rest of the crowd had very little interest in it. : : The bag and trunk became the property of Miss Letherby with a suddenness that surprised the watchers unsuspected in the background. Peters once more made that gesture of pulling at his beard, and Miss Ferndale moved away quietly. It did not. surprise her that the man followed, and stood with her, waiting for the elevator; even though in the six months since he had become an unacknowledged member of Ara- minta’s staff, he had never talked with Miss Ferndale face to face. But there had been something in the small incident to draw them together. Ara- minta had done something so senseless, so supremely foolish. These employees of hers could scarcely refrain from comment. However, Miss Ferndale, always a trifle curious about this secret body-guard of Araminta’s, found Peters a silent com- panion. He accompanied her to the stage, walking over to Fifth Avenue from the Primalto, and scarcely speaking as they crossed the park, except to tell the secretary about the conversation which had led to the desire Araminta had just gratified, to attend the auction. But as they waited for the bus he asked a question, looking down into her face with eyes that Anita found could be very searching. aes “What do you think of Willard Fane?” “ T only saw him to-day for the first time; I don’t think—I like him.” | ‘“ He’s a damned crook!” said Peters be- tween his teeth. : CHAPTER V. AND HER WEAPON, “M R. CORTLAND is wanted on the ~ telephone, madam.’’ “ That. must be my sister,”’ said David, excusing himself. A sigh of relief went DIANA ‘comicbooks.co