The Lamar register., 1920-09-22


mltted.
"Pm Meester Derhunes achent-my
names Gerstensang," he volunteered.
He went to work In a very businesslike
way, with magnifying- glass and a
long needle. looking for cracks in the
ivory.
The auctloneer watched him anx-
iously.
"Fine stun thatT" he said al last.
"Ummhmm - mnrmured Mr.. Ger
stensang, comparing the number on the
ornament with the price on the list.
The auctioneer watched him make n
mysterious hieroglyph after Abe num-
ber. "Pretty chesp?"
'Ummhmm s'pect so. B You
sharge only twice about vat dey
vos vort'"
"Whatcher talkIn' about3" clustered
the uuctIoneer mfr. Terhune'll never
get another chance to get these things
as cheap as that"
"NoT The infection In the agents
voice was battery of questions.
mol And you know It,"
II yet dom know It," Mr. Gersten-
sang's voice was remarkable. In that It
suggested so much more than the
words conveyed.
well. It's worth $50 FOR you TO ind
II out
Don bodder mei I'm bizzy."
"a hundred, then"
SAY Dis one-you got II marked
for three hundert dollars-vouldn't be
.lns
made; and II Is from more dan four
and two are pone and not ivory" said
the agent Irrelevantly.
Two hundred" replied the auction
eer, equally irrelevantly.
Say Vat you mean3 Are yog dry
Ing to prlbe met" The look OF vir-
tuous Indignation almost convinced
the auctioneer that he had made
mistake
"No. no. he hastily assured the
man. who gazed at him In dIsconcert-
Ing manner. But, you see. thought
you might make u mistake, and
wanted to give you n little token Of
my esteem" II sounded ridiculous,
and the auctioneer shifted uneasily
as he mathematical the eyes that
seemed to bore holes through him.
"oh! So. to you-my esteem two
hundert dollars Is vort'7"
The auctioneer had the grace to turn
red.
For two hundert dollars, I should
pass on a lot dat for more dan twice
vat II Is wort has der prices down
marked? Vat said der COON songi 4
h..
leered cunningly at the auctioneer.
Well What's II WORTH"
'ohi OF the bill. ten per cent is
der usual amount but We viii say seven
hundert and fifty dollars In circular
figures.
There was a little more conversa.
tion.
"All right when get Mr.. Ter.
hune's check I'll give you mine"
"vill your" said the agent NO.
you vllln't. got no use for snecks;
also. I do strictly cash bizness. Now
der money. and Meester Derhune gets
a rebort now no money. and he gets
rebort. Elder way Is von."
The auctioneer demurred TO some
extent, and then went to the safe and
produced some bills.
Seven hundred is all got"
Gerstensang counted them carefully.
"All ride You want recivetT' he
inquired. "Nof Ach! VIII make a
rebort TO Meester Derhune nat VIII
bring tears to your eyes"-nnd he de
parted.
The auctloneer waited week. and
then went to see Mr.. Terhune That
gentleman was busily engaged with
certain papers. and hardly needed the
others oily salutations.
well. sir What can do for your
"Did you get your agents reportf"
81 did" The words were omlnous
in their brevity.
The auctioneer fidgeted and STAN
mered. Il have been eNpectin' to hear
from you"
Have your Well, you need wait no
longer" II, handed the nuctloueer
well-remeinbered piece OF paper. There
was the list OF 2s7 separate ltems-a
sum total Of sI.s39-and underneath
iu a cramped German hand:
II beg to report that the articles Is
all for more than their value quoted:
they are bogus most OF them.
"Gerstensang."
The auctioneer grew llvid.