Evening star., 1924-08-10

ingly. "If," he went on. you didn't
want to bid, why did you nod ?"
Archie hesitated a moment, then
handed over a ten-dollar bill.
Il say, old thing" said Archie to
Reggie, this is a bit thick, you
know. No purse will stand this
strain.
Reggie considered the matter.
Don't nod again." he advised.
When you want to bid. just twiddle
your fingers. Yes; that's the thing
twiddle."
He sighed drowsily. The atmosphere
OF the auction room was close.
'If your whatever-it-is doesn't come
up soon, Archie" said Reggie, Il
rather think shall be toddling along.
What was it you came to getT'
'It's rather difficult to describe. It's
a rummy-looking sort OF whatnot,
made of china or something. / call it
Pongo. At least, this one isn't Pongo.
don't you know, but presumably
equally foul in every respect. It's all
rather complicated, 1 know, but
HulloF" He pointed, excitedly. "By
Jove! We're off! There 1T is! Look!
Willie's unleashing it now.'
WILLIE was placing on a pedestal
a small china figure of delicate
workmanship. A thrill permeated
Archie's frame. This was undoubt-
edly the companion figure to the re-
doubtable Pongo.
The auctioneer regarded the figure
with gloating enthusiasm wholly
unshared by the audience.
This" he said. with a shake in his
voice, 'is something very special
China figure. said to date back to the
Ming dynasty. Unique. Nothing like
it on either side of the Atlantic If
were selling this at Christie's, In Lon
don, where people," he said, nastily,
have an educated appreciation of the
beautiful, the rare and the exquisite.
1 should start the bidding at a thou
sand dollars. This afternoons expe-
rience has taught me that that might
possibly be too high. Will any one
offer me a dollar for this unique
figure?"
Leap at it, old top" said Reggie
van Tuyl. "Twiddle. dear boy; twid-
die! A dollars reasonable"
Archie twiddled.
"One dollar I am offered" said the
auctioneer, bitterly. zone gentleman
here knows a good thing when he
sees one. Come, come, gentlemen;
we are not here to waste time. VIII
any one offer me one hundred dol
lars for this superb piece Of" He
broke off, stared at some one in one
of the seats in front of Archie. THANK
you" he said, with a sort OF gulp.
"one hundred dollars I am offered.
One hundred one hundred-one hun
dred-"
Archie was startled. This sudden,
tremendous jump, this wholly unfere-
seen boom in Pongos, if one might so
describe it. was more than little
disturbing. He looked helplessly at
Reggie fer counsel, but Reggie was
leaning back with closed eyes, breath
ing softly through his nose. Thrown
on his own resources, Archie could
think of no better course than to
twiddle his fingers again.
1.-TWO hundred I am offered. Much
better! Turn the pedestal round,
Willie, and let them look at it.
Slowly, slowly. Two hundred. Two
two-two-two."
Archie's concern increased. He had
meant to signify that he raised the
previous bid by just one dollar.
Two hundred-two, hundred-two-
three think you, sir; three-three-three
four four five five six six-seven-
even-seven@
Archie twiddled again. The ring
and the bracelet had fetched nearly
twelve hundred dollars. Up to that
figure his hat was in the ring.
Eight hundred / am offered. Eight
hundred. Eight-eight- eight-eight-"
A voice spoke from somewhere at