Argosy All-Story Weekly, November 13, 1920 — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

THE ORCHID HUNTRESS. duced the small brown hat with the golden phime that swept over it and toned with the waves of the hair against which it rested. Norine slipped off her brown furs while she watched Masters order. Half uncon- sciously she found herself comparing him with Jerry. This was the first time she had lunched with the young- millionaire alone. He did not summon the maitre- d’hotel. He chose the luncheon conserva- tively and with good taste if with fewer in- structions than his more bourgeois rival. “ Mind if I tell you I like your gown?” asked Masters. ‘ It’s very right looking!”’ ‘“T’m glad you think so.. The price was right, too.” She frowned at him in pre- tended despair. ‘‘ But I didn’t mind. You see, with me, gowns are an event—not a bore. By the way, Betty told me you were successful in stocks yesterday. May I con- gratulate you?” “Thank you! The success is rather due to Mr. Brent. He told me about that Steel.” “Ves. I saw him last night. I think he has half forgotten this victory in another. He said, when I congratulated him, that he was glad, as this would give him the op- portunity to attempt something really big.” ‘““He’s a game one! And he wins!”’ “Yes. He wins! Oh! I almost forgot to tell you! I have taken an apartment. And such luck! I was able to locate Fan- nie, mother’s old maid. So, you see, I am a householder.” 3 ‘“That’s corking! And guests—”’ “Yes, indeed! I shall make my teas famous for their informality! So famous my guests may spill out into the hall. -It’s only a rather wee apartment, and I have some of the old: furniture. The Lawtons mortgaged their houses, but they didn’t sell their mahogany—until it came to me. But then, my temptation has been greater. In former generations there were few of the rising proletariat to offer us so many du- cats for Louis Fifteenth sideboards that we really couldn’t withstand them.” When they came back into the lounge an hour later, almost the first person No- rine saw was Jean Fathom. She was sit- ting partially screened by a large pillar. 303 But, as Norine started to call her com- panion’s attention to her, Jean rose and moved toward the door. A man met her half-way and they went out hurriedly to- gether. But Norine had made sure that the man was Leroy Gamble. ‘Silly place to meet him,” she mused. ‘ But Jean is more or less calloused to pub- lic opinion now, I suppose.” “What shall we do?” Masters was ask- ing. “T don’t know.” ing a casual scrutiny of the room. pose we sit down and talk it over.” led the way to a velvet seat. “Too late for a matinée,”’ he said, as they settled themselves. ‘“ Yes,” she seemed little concerned over the vagueness of their plans, but sat, her eyes fastened dreamily on a_ dull-hued lamp-shade. Masters started to speak again, then stopped, content only to look at the glorious picture she made. Present- ly into the musing trend of his thoughts came a voice. ‘It’s velvet all right! Sims is only let- ting in a few fellows with good-sized rolls. Strictly sub rosa, you understand. I asked him about you, and he said he’d let you in on a hundred shares for old-time’s sake.” ‘* Oil’s a sure investment,” said the other man. “TI wish he’d loosen up and give me a hundred and fifty.” “You’re lucky to get any. Sims had the devil’s own time getting hold of this land, and he can dictate his own terms now. You know what Mercer Oil is!” ‘““You’d better believe I do! Suppose we go down now and see what Sims can do for us.” The voices drifted away. Masters, sur- prised at the eagerness with which he had absorbed the words, mused: “ Sims! Sims!’”” Why, Jerry’s broker, of course. That was where he had heard the name before. ‘““You’ve been thinking very hard,” he said to Norine. ‘‘ You must have reached a decision by this time.” ‘““T was just wondering what we should do with our afternoon,” she said. ‘“ We might drop in at Mrs. Morley’s. She gen- erally has a rather amusing though fright- Norine was conduct- (44 Sup- She 0\(0\(0) com (@) <S (EO) a)