The Argosy, March 1907 — page 93: what you’re looking at

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

and rest easy in the assurance that the player will be there in ample time.” ‘“Not me,” rejoined Dave with force- ful emphasis. “ That chap you are talk- ing about, who is to go unconcernedly about his business and let you run this little show, is another fellow. As for your Uncle Dudley, he sticks right by this purchase he has made until he sees it loaded on the truck, and then he sticks by the truok until it is backed up before the door of the Waldree and its burden is safely deposited in his rooms, right side up with care.’ “You are taking -no chances, with an appreciative grin. “You bet [’m not,” rejoined Dave; and the men coming up at that moment to remove his new acquisition, he showed himself as good as his word by following them out to the waiting truck, and then mounting the vehicle himself when its load was safely stowed aboard. “Well,” commented the salesman, ga- zing after him as he rolled away, “there goes a henpecked husband. His wife has insisted on having the piano- player in shape for some kind of a shin- dig she is giving this afternoon, and he eh?” is so afraid of her that he has blown himself for the price of a new instrument, and in addition is sacrificing half a day’s time in order to make certain that it will _be delivered before the hour.”’ “Which all goes to show how erro- neous one’s judgments may be when based upon circumstantial evidence, even of the plainest and most apparently ir- refutable character. Meanwhile, Dave, indifferent to what the salesman might be thinking of him, was proceeding anxiously up-town, on pins and needles every foot of the way, lest some new contretemps might arise to delay him at the last moment, and balk him of the victory which now seemed so well within his grasp. But no untoward incident intervened. ‘The Waldree was reached and the piano- player conveyed to his rooms and un- boxed without exciting any undue amount of notice. When the thing was in position before his piano and the men had departed it still lacked fifteen minutes to the time Dave had set for the visitation of the de- tectives. IN THE MOUTH OF THE GIFT-HORSE. 665 There was” still much to be done, however, for the dismembered constit- uents of the old machine had to be put safely out of sight before their arrival. ‘Where shall I stow this junk so as to escape the sharp eyes of Ted Green?” ruminated Dave, casting his glance about the apartment. ‘ That infernal prying proclivity of his will lead him to smell it out if I put it in any ordinary place.” His wandering gaze fastened upon the bed as he spoke, and a happy thought struck him. He could hide every particle of the débris safely between the sheets, and not even the inquiring mind of Ted Green would ever think of looking in such a place as that for incriminating evidence, no matter how much his sus- picions might be aroused. No sooner decided than done. He had kept the chambermaid out ef his room that morning in order that he might pursue his investigation of the piano- player undisturbed, and consequently his bed was not yet made up; but that did not disturb him a little bit. He had resided for a time when small with a maiden aunt who held a theory that boys, as well as girls, should be educated in housewifely accomplish- ments, and under her tutelage he had learned to make a bed as well as any woman in the land. He deftly spread out the under sheet now, and laid the wires and rods -over it, reserving the bulkier pieces to be cov- ered by the pillows. When the job was completed no one would ever have dreamed but that the chambermaid had looked after it in the regular exercise of her duties, or that there was anything there which did not properly and justly belong in its make-up. This final coverlet smoothed down, and the last pat given to the pillow, when a knock sounded at the doer, and Dave, with a comprehen- sive glance around to assure himself that all was in readiness, fastened to admit his visitors. They had brought an expert mechanic along in order to facilitate their work, and under his hands the _ piano-player was deftly and rapidly taken apart and put together again without the disclosure of any secreted diamonds, to the disap- pointment of Ted and his companion. had just been am | pias sh ye MOAT DE ay he PF Gomichbooks: com Re So» Sa