Argosy All-Story Weekly, November 13, 1920 — page 66: what you’re looking at

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

o44 most colossal fortunes. The long line of high-priced limousines drawn up in front of the door when Ralph Henry Parker ar- rived on the scene, somewhat awed that young man. : a : Parker had not come in a limousine. He had traveled up-town on the Broadway subway. Somewhat nervous because of that thousand-dollar bill in his pocket, he had thought at first of indulging in the luxury of a taxicab, but, on counting up his resources, had discovered that, besides Mr. Binger’s bank-note, he had only sev- enty-eight cents on his person, so had de- cided that he would have to run the risk of getting his pocket picked in the Broadway tube. The feeling of awe which the sight of that line of imposing equipages inspired in him was not diminished when he stepped into the doorway of the auction-room and caught a glimpse of the distinguished-look- ing occupants of the long rows of gilt chairs. It was the first time in his life that he had ever sat amid an audience which exuded such an atmosphere of opulence. To add to his embarrassment, as he made his way toward a seat he collided forcibly with a young woman who was just coming in, and almost knocked her off her feet. The collision was entirely her fault, but that did not prevent him from feeling very much disconcerted by the mishap. She was a very good looking young woman, and the way she stared at him out of her big, dark eyes branded him as a clumsy boor as severely as if she had put the ac- cusation into words. With a stammered apology he sat down in a vacant seat in the last row of gilt chairs, painfully conscious of the fact that the frock-coated gentleman on the auction- eer’s rostrum was regarding him with a coldly critical eye. The sale had already begun. A small, bronze incense burner was being spiritedly bid for. The price had already been run up to twenty-five thousand dollars, and Parker again experienced a sensation of awe as he heard the figures advance by thousand-dollar bids. Evidently a thou- sand dollars was a mere bagatelle to these ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY, people. It didn’t seem to occur to any of the bidders to offer an advance of a less amount. The article was finally knocked down to a stout dowager for the small sum of fifty thousand dollars. From the expression of triumphant satisfaction on her face it was evident that she considered she had got a bargain. The sale of several rare pictures fol- lowed. Small masterpieces of Turner, Co- rot, Franz Hals, and Van Dyke kept the gentleman with the hammer busy until noon; but, engrossed though the latter was in his task, he found time, nevertheless, to fix a stern, almost accusing glance on Ralph Henry at frequent intervals. In spite of that young man’s well-groomed ap- pearance, the auctioneer’s unerring instinct had accurately sized up his social status. But where Mr. George Augustus Markel’s instinct had for once played him false, was in the fact that he believed that the ner- vous, obviously uncomfortable young man in the last row of gilt chairs was an in- truding trifler who had neither the inten- tion nor the means of making a bid on even the less important of the offerings. The auctioneer was, therefore, somewhat annoyed when, at 1.3) P.M., after a recess of an hour and a half had been taken to permit both the audience and the salesroom force to partake of refreshments, Parker was among the eager throng which came hurrying back to the auction. Evidently the fellow intended to make a day of it, and -was too thick-skinned to perceive that his room was preferable to his company, especially as the audience had grown to such proportions that even standing room was at a premium. But Mr: Markel’s annoyance changed to astonishment presently. At 2 P.M., after an impressive pause in the proceedings, the auctioneer announced that the time had now come for the big event of the day. “It is probably unnecessary for me to dilate on the importance of the next item on the catalogue, ladies and gentlemen,” he said, with a deprecatory smile. ‘‘ The history of the famous bed—the gem of the entire Morseman collection—is no doubt well known to all of you. Its almost price- Gomichoo cS (EO)