Argosy All-Story Weekly, November 13, 1920 — page 70: what you’re looking at

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

348 The cashier shrugged his shoulders. “Unless you are able to put up a de- posit, as our rules call for, I’m afraid the sale is off,’ he rejoined. ‘ You can’t blame us for protecting ourselves against— er—triflers.”’ “IT am no trifler,” Ralph Henry protest- ed. ‘I want that bed—I must have it. See here,”’ he continued, suddenly changing his tactics. ‘‘ You talk about fairness, but there are two sides to that. What about my rights in the matter?) Whether you be- lieve it or not, I made the bid in good faith, and the article was sold to me. It isn’t my fault that I am unable to satisfy your requirements as to a deposit. I feel quite sure that no court would hold you justified in depriving me of my property, in the circumstances, by offering thé bed for sale again, without giving me a chance to bring the money. ‘“T insist on my legal rights, and warn you that I shall place the matter in the hands of my attorneys and instruct them to bring suit against this concern for heavy damages if the bed is sold to any one else.” The cashier was somewhat impressed by. this threat. “We have no desire to be—er—unrea- sonable, sir,’’ he said, a little less aggressive- ly.‘ We are entirely within our rights, of course, and have no fear of a lawsuit, but perhaps if you were to identify yourself, and—er—satisfy us as to your ability to pay the seventy-five thousand dollars, we might—er—the matter might be satisfac- torily adjusted.” He paused. “ What is your name, sir?” ‘Ralph Henry Parker.” “And your address, Mr. Parker?” The young man hesitated for a moment. If he gave his boarding-house number, the revelation of the neighborhood he lived in was not likely to make much of an impres- sion. ‘My office is in the Windsor Building, on lower Broadway,” he announced pres- ently. ? ‘In business, eh? ask ?” The word peanuts sprang to Parker’s lips, but he caught himself just in time. — What line, may -I ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. ‘““T am in the produce business,’ he vol- unteered. . “A broker on the Produce Exchange!” the auction-room employee exclaimed, his tone much more respectful. (“I suppose your name is in the telephone book, Mr. Parker?” “IT don’t—er—of course,’ Ralph Henry stammered. ‘And what bank references can you give us, sir? If you would permit us to call up your bank and make an inquiry as to your financial standing, I have no doubt that the matter of the deposit could be waived, and - the bed held for you.” “I can’t—I won’t give you any refer- ences,” Parker declared. ‘‘I consider all this cross-examination entirely uncalled-for when I am prepared to bring you the seven- ty-five thousand dollars in cash within an hour. The bed is mine, and my attorneys will hold you responsible if you dare to dispose of my property.” The cashier shrugged again. He walked over to the auctioneer and held another whispered conference with him. “ All right, Mr. Parker,” he said when he returned. “ We'll give you an hour. That’s as long as we'll wait, though. It is now three o’clock. If you are not back here by four, and ready to hand us a certi- fied check or cash for seventy-five thousand dollars, the bed will be put up for sale again.” Ralph Henry exhaled a deep breath of relief as he hurried out of the salesroom. He was not yet out of the woods, by any means, but at least the situation now of- fered some hope. He had made up his mind what he was going to do. He would get Binger on the telephone immediately, tell him what had happened, and urge him to save the day by despatching a trusted messenger up-town with the money. The messenger could make the. trip in much less than an hour, and everything would be all right, except for the loss of the thousand-dollar bill. That matter could be discussed with Mr. Binger later, but in the mean time the bed of the mad King Godfrey must be res- cued. : Parker rushed across the street toa cigar- Gomichbooks (E@)