Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-24
CHAPTER IX.-Continued,


A man in an elaborate chauffeur's uni
form, and evidently English. stopped him
in the street outside to ask whether he
would care to buy gold cigarette case,
q bargain. Slyne looked him over and
sized him up at glance.
"Stranded:" he asked, and the man
nodded sulkily.
want few days work."
The chauffeurs dissipated face bright
ened
Eyes, SIR he said, Il do
wait here, then" said Slyne and went
inside.
WELL he asked the salesman, have
You thought it over? What's the last
word?''
Fifteen thousand lire. milor-not soldo
less" declared the dapper. frock-coateo
salesman. in a tone of final decision,
which Slynes sharp ears judged unfeign'
ed. 1.-The car is worth twice as much
Indeed, 1 could not let it go at such a
ruinous loss were it not But. ecco'
The owner himself. He would probably
be very ill-pleased to hear it was actually
sold at that ridiculous price"
Slyne looked round at the gray-haired
portly, prosperous-looking individual
threading his way through the agslom-
Grafton of cars in the background, and
his half parted lips snapped together
again.
He wanted that particular car and had
made up his mind to buy it. rash though
such an investment might prove, but he
had surmised from lynxlike glance a,
the seller that he might be able to get II
for even less than the salesman was au-
thorized to accept. And, since his own
pockets were so poorly lined for the ex'
pensive part he was playing, he. who
despised chaffering. was yet bent on max
ing the very best bargain he could.
IT'S more than I've got about me-" he
told the salesman, in a very audible voice
as the fat man in the fur coat halted in
determinately a few PAGES away Ano
at the words the newcomers puffy face
lighted up. as If with relief. behind the
pfncenez he was wearing. He came for
ward and spoke.
IAN Englishman, by Jove!'' he remark
ed. with great semblance OF geniality
$50 am l. Very happy to meet you. sir
You're interested in my carr"
mot at the price," Slyne returned. with
an Indifferent hauteur which he Judged
likely to be effective with one in the
strangers presumable plight. And the
fat mans lips dropped visibly. the
pouches under his uneasy eyes became
more marked. He was obviously disap-
pointed and felt himself snubbed. He
did not seem quite sure what to say or
do next.
Slyne. congratulating himself on his
talent for character reading, turned
away to look at cheap runabout. as
carelessly as though he had all time at
his disposal instead Of being. as he was.
in a fever of ill-restrained Impotence.
The salesman figuratively washed his
hands OF them both; he could already
foresee forced sale at a calamitous' sac
rifice. And SO it fell out.
Slyne. cavalier to the verge Of rudeness.
finally bought the big scarlet car. which
the other almost forced upon him, for
about half its market value. and paid for
it there and then. in the new French
notes which had almost been burning a
hole in his pocket since he had left the
Credit Lyonnais off1ce-so eager was he
to be off on his last forlorn nope of win
ming Sallie.
'If you had allowed me only a few
hours longer I could have got you twice
that amount" said the disappointed sales
man. in a stage aside to the seller as he
counted over his own diminished COM
slowed on him a look of contemptuous
annoyance. and. having signed the re-
ceipt Slyne required. tucked away in an
empty pocketbook the balance Of the
crisply rustling bills he had just received
Even then he did not appear to know
what next to do with himself. For. hav-
ing glanced at his watch. he gave vent
to a grunt of disgust, and hung on his
neel unQeclQeQly, aIter making move
to go.
It's only about a hundred miles to
Monaco. isn't it," Slyne asked the sales
man. and was answered in the affirma-
tive.
The fat man gasped and choked for a
moment, and then spoke again. with more
confidence-a change due. perhaps, to the
improvement in his finances.
Pardon me. SIR he said. ''but-ii
you're going that way. I wonder 1t
would be a tremendous favor to me and
I haven't haggled over giving you the
best of our bargain. The trains just
gone and
Slyne. chin in air, once more looked
him over appraisingly. as he stammered
and hesitated, and was very much dis
posed to cut him adrift without more
ado. But some indefinable impulse, some
feeling that here was a bird Of a feather
very sadly astray. caused him to alter
his mind. 'Tll be glad to give you a
lift,' he said, more graciously, III you're
ready to start now. But can't wait"
The fat mans face lighted up again.
my luck's on the mend at last.' he de-
clared. I'm in as great a hurry as you
can be. sir. I'm more than obliged to