Mrs. Grundy. (Tracy City, Tenn.) 1903-1930, 1920-05-20
table and, leaning across. looked hil

| tHDl0 Uuut tCunth6 attOf<ss .00N~e -
yis-a-vis steadily in the eye.
"Would you mind telling me-" be In.
CURED pontedly, "what sort of game
you're playing?"
Ouigg chuckled and raised fat
cloyed hand In protest. Il beg to De
excused until re seen my attorney
Here, boyi" A waiter came hurrying
Get me taxi. I've twenty .ninutes to
spare. Wen hustle over to my tailor
That's bum outfit you're wearing"
Fitzhugh, In accordance with prior
arrangement, reported to his new eni-
ployer at nine-thirty Wednesday morn-
ing. He had given up his room 10
Illinois street, and had taken an I'M
pretentious apartment In pretentious
hotel farther north.
His correct morning attire, fault
less, well-tailored, expensive; his fire
ly pointed beard and mustache brushed
away from his lips In French fash
ion, even the red flower in his button
hole, lent to his inches an air OF dis
tinction foreign to Chicago's higgledy-
piggledy financial district. He was
acting perfectly the popular conception
of gentleman of leisure" and
quick, sidelong glances of surreptitious
interest were east his way by the bur-
rying clerks and traders, pressing
down La Sale street toward the board
of trade, as he entered the building
where was the abode of Quigg and
Peavy.
On a narrow platform before the
blackboard which extended the length
of the customers room phlegmatic
youth walked up and down chalkins
mystical figures, while the telegraph
instrument In a little box a. one end
chartered its interminable tale. liz
the three rows of chairs. also spanning
the rooms length, sat men, wei
dressed and nondescrlpt, the latter jot-
ting In dog-eared memorandum books
with stub pencils. the former watch
ing the blackboard and conversins
earnestly about market conditions. :"
Messenger boys scuttled to and fro
across the floor. clutching at their
caps, slappng their books shut, enter
Ing and leaving some inner office
whence issued tho clickety-click-c click
of a battery Of typewriters
And In all this feverish animation
there was something vaguely artificial
too subtle for the casual onloOker,
perhaps, but there nevertheless
! AS Fitzhugh entered, casting bored
glance around the place. he was met
! by uniformed negro, who said: Mr..
| Quigg says tell you please, sub. step
inter his private office at once, subj
The preceding night In Quigg'a
rooms In hotel, Fitzhugh had been
thoroughly appraised Gss1fs natur4 ~
|, E.i6s! nd There had 49, been Ere
] Eiearsals" He was therefore not I'm.
prepared for what followed his en-
trance into Quigg's sanctum.,
/ Mr.. Quigg, large and prosperous,
/ held large cigar In large hand. arid
occupied large chair before large
desk, near which sat colorless, com.
monplace, inconspicuous man whose
weak face was at once inquiring and
lmpressionahle. Near by stock
ticker unwound its tape into wicker
waste-basket. and from q partly-open
door came The furious Gathering OF
many typewriters. And here, as iii
the outer room, there was an I'm.
natural note-faint, almost indistln.
guishable. but discordant all the
same.
AS Fitzhugh entered Quigg glanced
up, then leaned toward the colorless
one and said something In low voice
| Not so low, however. but that Fitz,
hugh caught some fragments: "Pat,
tingtOn -. Eastern capitalist
Worth ten millions IL he's worth d
nickel"
4 This was Fitzhugh's cue. Instantly
his bearing changed. His tired all
vanished. His. eye, languidly super.
cilious moment before, became cold
arrogant, alert. He was no longer tile
blase aristocrat. He was now tic
high-tensioned financier, whose min.
utes were diamond-studded. He stood
at the door, slight scowl gathering
between his brows. his right thumb
and second finger swapping impatient.
| ly. Thus until he received his next
cue.
| "Ah, good-morning, Mr.. Pattington.'
| Quigg rose, smiling deferentially. ard
motioned to chair. wont you s't
| down? shall be at leisure presently
| Fitzhughs frown grew little heav
Ter. his eye little harder. II was
told could have an interview with
you at once. My time is extremely
limited. Our transaction must be
consummated this moment, or not q,
oil