The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-07-27

1OTuSu uS1 ~ WOuAu VIC &" VoS
In the elevator she took an
appraising look at the man it
was essential to please.
Not at all the type she would
have accepted as an escort in
the old days in San Francisco,
even had she met him formally!
Too sleek, too suave, too-well,
foreign, somehow.
Yet one couldn't put ones
finger on anything noticeably
wrong in manner or appearance.
He was Immediately turned out.
To some women, doubtless, he
would seem handsome, with his
neat small features, olive COM
plexion, and swapping black
eyes. He had a 1.-THE, slender
figure of almost catlike graceful
ness, thought Toni. She remem-
bered that in Dawes Blue Room
he had had the effect of being
poured into his evening suit, so
eXcellently did 1t fit.
CHAPTER XI
They went out to the street.
A large, handsome limousine
was at the curb, and standing
beside it a proportionately tall,
husky chauffeur. Toni thought
he looked like a champion of the
ring! Inside the car, she nodded
at the mans broad back and
murmured to Mr.. NiklaS: He
looks like a prize fighter"
Her escort gave her a sidewiSe,
penetrating look. why wouldn't
he be, in these days of kidnap.
ing? He's a powerful fellow. and
an excellent body mean,
servants Lavroff."
Feeling she had stepped on
something here, she changed her
ground and brought the converse
ton round to the proposed new
job. Mr.. NiklaS told her that
they would discuss it at luncheon.
I'm expecting my publicity
man, Lou Steiner, to join us
around 1870. That fellows a
wiz. He can think up more
things than a barrel Of monkeys,
said Mr.. Niklas, grinning, as he
dropped into American slang.
Toni gazed about the interior Of
the big car. It boosted an extraor-
binary number of fittings and
gadgets. It's polished panels. too,
had a cryptic air, as though il
one found the button they would
slip back smoothly, revealing COM
partments and queer crannies.
Mr.. Niklas had an uncanny
ability of reading ones mind.
You're thinking this an odd
sort of conveyance? Not so, Miss
Goddard?"-as he smiled with one
corner of his mouth.
1T reminds me Of a room-an
attic-in our home in San Fran
cisco, with wood-panelled walls.
Mother would never let me share
the secret, but there was a hidden
spring in the boarding somewhere.
You pushed it, and preSto!-back
flew a panel. When we shut UP
the house to go to our ranch for
the summer. she hid the family
silver there!"
Mr.. NiklaS was silent. This girl
would need watching. She was
aStute.
He would turn her cleverneSs of
observation in the right direction,
toward customers. Only in so far
as was eSsential-and he could
see no reason for it, for caution
was a predominating factor in his
makeup-would he let her in on
any Of his secrets.
The car pulled up at the res.
taurant. They went inside.
In the banks of flowers in the
foyer, deep rugs, and golden light
suffused on smartly CARRIED men
and women, Toni was achingly,
devaStatingly reminded of her
agonizing last experience in the
st. Francis Hotel back home.
Brock Milbank! Her shock in
reading the announcement of his
elopement at the hotel news.
stand!
She hadn't thought OF Brock
since yesterday! Gradually she
was being cured of her infatuar
ton. Surely it was only infatua-
ton? One couldn't love a cad.
She had only loved the idea she
had set up.
They made their way through
the spacious lounge where people
slipped pre-luncheon cocktails, and
up the wide, shallow steps to the
Oval Room.
Already the fashionable rendez.
vous was almost filled. The head
waiter led them to a small table
toward the rear.
Good" thought NiklaS. MY