The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1933-11-10
CHAPTER Nv

Smif's only advertisement had been
the cards which Charles had mailed
to list he had mysteriously procured.
Much to her disappointment and con-
trary to her expectations the business
that had come to her so far had
proved commonplace. "Not an adj
venture in the whole batchw She had
sighed to herself regretfully, and in
deed so 1t had proved until the ad-
vent of the man with the emerald
horseshoe.
An emerald horseshoe did not sug-
gest a friend of Charles. In fact
Sniff was sure his reaction to such
an adornment would have been quite
as violent as her sisters.
How then had the man heard of
her? Not that 1t mattered. OF course
she meant to see him. The oppor-
tunity to interview a possible gunman
was unique.
It was. however, a fixed policy
with her to make those without ap-
pointments await her pleasure.
"Show the gentleman into the Sec
ond waiting room," she said. "Then
go round the corner to the sandwich
shop. I'll have olive and cream-cheese
sandwiches today. Toasted, don't for
get. You've still got money!"
"Yes'm," said Buttons, and vanished
on his errand.
This order for sandwiches was usual.
Sniff took her lunch there daily to
avoid dressing for the street.
To await Buttons coming, she seat
ed herself In comfortable chair in
the lounge and lighted a cigarette.
It had a well-nigh hypnotic effect in
calming her nerves, and before an en-
gagement with a client she always tried
to empty her mind of speculations and
personal anxieties as well as of her
previous cases. But she was accus-
toned to docile clients who stayed
where they were put.
Consequently she was unable to con-
troll start when voice at her elbow,
in anything but a tone Of apology,
said:
Excuse me, you're Madame Saitou,
aren't you?"
The gunman, Of course. And But
tons, her valiant protector, was absent.
"Yes," she replied, turning and fac
ing him Jelly, her eyebrows raised, her
whole air a resentment Of intrusion.
II am Madame Saitou. At the mo-
ment am engaged. When / am ready
to see you, you will be notified"
And she turned her back upon him,
expecting him to accept his dismissal.
Instead he came swiftly into the lounge
and seated himself on chair facing
her, hanging his hat and coat on its
back.
Il only wanted to tell you didn't
want to see you at all" he remon-
strated mildly.
In spite of herself Sniff chuckled.
1t had struck her that this was a very
gentle gunman. And there was some
thing charming in Smif's chuckles.
That's too bad" she said, still
twinkling, because you are seeing me,
aren't you? What do you suppose can
be done about it?"
Nothing" Her visitor looked at
her without cracking a smile. His
face, melancholy in its lean brown
ness, was lit by gray eyes under
straight black brows. Eyes that were
looking at her with fixity that threat
ened to degenerate into stare. 1t
was not a face that fitted the emeralds.
It occurred to her that 1t was not a
modern face, its like had looked out
upon her from canvasses by Moroni.
"Pm not so sure now that / don't
want to see you," he remarked with
an effect of casualness, plunging his
hands in his pockets and continuing to
study her under contracted brows.
you're good. All this, you know"
He withdrew hand. waved it around
the room vaguely and again plunged
If hack I'm to the wrist