The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1926-05-14

daye-Plage.'
"GoOd for you, Jacques
well, it struck me that since l seem
destined to send bad citizens to the guillO-
tine from time to time, l might at least put
a little weight on the other arm of the
scales and help to make some good ones"
lie glanced at a VerniS-Martin clock that
was striking the hour Of ten. MY man is
Que In Ilfteen minutes. DO you mind am
bushing yourself for half an hour, John
W III be fatigued by then-and so Will
you"
why the ambush?" 1 asked.
well, this man, wOhse name is BOgOr-
off, has got it into his head that can be
Of some service to his crowd in a big Bal
kan promotion scheme they are getting
ready to launch. He seems to think I am
an American millionaire and might be will
ing to contribute right now for the current
expenses of the moment 1t appears that
there's a Dalmatian named KarapOlOus, a
Greek Probably, who has grabbed off a
lot Of concessions from different Balkan
states, and BOgOrOff assures me there are
billions Of francs in it. I've got a bunch
that he insisted on my paintig his pOr-
trait in the hope Of getting me interested
enough to interest some Of my rich friends.
He probably dOpes it out that / am in
the spotlight just now and that my motor
iety as a mind reader would be worth a
lot.
You see, Johnny, BOgOrOff has got me
quite excited over the scheme, but 1 know
as much about high finance as q cat does Of
RELATIVELY. Even if he were to let me read
his mind, / doubt if it would say more to
me than if I were to read my income tax
return. Now you tell me that you've been
something Of an expert along these lines,
SO I'm going to ask you to listen in and
tell me what you think about it. BOgOrOff
promises a turnover Of several thousand
Ter cent in three years time if the deal
goes through"
What's the obstacle to it's going
through"
"He doesn't seem to thing there is any
thai need worry them Just now. barring
their immediate need for funds"
Like all the rest Of them" 1 said. bet
ter go slow, Jacques"
I'm not going at all, until you tell me
what yOu think"
Has he laid anything on his portrait p
"A couple Of thousand francs. Just to
prove he's net entirely a bum. He'll prob
ably try to borrow it back before l get
through with him. He's fostering me now
to introduce him to De Gunzville, the
banker, whose daughter 1 painted not long
ago."
why not let me talk to him ?' I said
I don't like this listening in business, ev'
en- for copy.
you can do that later" said JACQUES
But l want you first to hear his patter az
ne puts 1t up to a visionary like me. Whaf
difference does it make anyhow? He'C
SPOT you for a hard boiled Yankee finan
cier, and play close to his chest. Nv,
rugged you a listening in post in a MIC
comfy chair up theer on the balcony at tn.
end Of the studio. The acoustics are good
and you can get a good slant at him il
this north light. I've hung those tapes
tries so you can look through the slit be
tween them. You see, Johnny, I've got al
ambition to pose as a philanthrOpist, AM
I that's going to run into money if I do 1
! right. This may be a really big get-rich
quick scheme and I'd rather like to be ii
on it. Besides III take a little shot 70
. you"
Get thee behind me-" 1 began, whel
the noisy lift whirred off with its par
z fridge sound.
: "Ge thee behind the LOrtieres," Jacque
sp1uttered in his hOarse flu voice, and be
= gan to cough and sneeze in a fashion tina
would have emptied a theatre.
A moment later Jacques sitter wa
shown in. BOgOroff was well dressed an
good looking, about forty, / thought, G
medium build and powerful, though 3
light on his feet as the Russian dancer 70
the sake Of whose fidelity during his at
z Sences from Paris he prOfessed to be hay
ing his portrait painted. It was not ba
psychology, when one stops to think. Sue
p a woman would consider tres chic as
present to have a portrait OF her lover b
one so much in the SPOTLIGHT Of eurreI
events as the great Jacques U-ges, the tel
TOR Of criminals.
= AS BOgOrOff entered, Jacques was in sue
= a paroxysm Of sneezing that he could nC
Re welcome his guest, do more than bow h
lace buried in a yard Of gauze. I notice
also that BOgOrOff, for all this disregarde
= the infection, did not attempt to apDroaC
him closely. He began Immediately pr
fuse apologies In chOppy French for oil
e. luglng Jacques to work In such a state.
4 Jacques parOXysm passing, Id shruggs
with a Gallo gesture, and said in b
hoarse, griLpy voice that after all it wou.
distract his mind from his affiction. i
had arranged the sitter's chair. q han.
-some painted leather one, and he start,
3 directly TO work in his singularly near 10
TEDIOUS fashion, dainty IS s cat vii
4 strokes that were broad md sure. from
2, palette like a section az polished niano.
On q tabOret beside him there was a bo