Adventure, December 1914 — page 155: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Come-On Charley Tries Out Wall Street fancy. ‘‘He knows more about people than a horse about oats.”’ The head waiter was strolling by and Mr. Teeters signaled to him. : “Say, Jeen,”’ he questioned guardedly, when the man came up. “Who is Little Dotty Dimples over there? Know her?” — Jean put his hand to his mouth and lean- ed toward them confidentially. The lady at the other table noted the movement and smiled to herself. “Of a verity, yes,” said Jean smoothly. “She is a Miss Irene King, from Chicago. A buyer for Harshall, Beale & Company. Trés chic, eh?” He lifted his shoulders and spread out his hands in a gesture that could be interpreted as his audience pleased. The information he had imparted had been communicated to him by Miss King herself in one of those little bursts of confidence head waiters seem to inspire in guileless guests. “You lose, Skeeters,’’ grinned Charley. “‘Oh, Chicago!” retorted Mr. Teeters. “I was betting on people who live in the Uniied States.” It chanced that Charley looked in Miss Irene King’s direction as he taunted his dis- comfited secretary. There was something infectious in the boy’s grin—something art- less and disarming that warmed one to him willy-nilly. The young woman smiled at him now quite openly; and she reinforced it with a little good-humored nod that, to Charley, seemed to establish an understand- ing between them. It made him flush with pleasure. Mr. Teeters missed this bit of by-play, and he was astonished when Charley said to the head waiter eagerly: ‘Jean, want to send the lady a glass of wine. Ask her.” The man imperturbably moved off on his errand. *‘Gollamighty, Come-On!”’ ejaculated Mr. Teeters. ‘“‘You ought to take a nerve cure. It'll get you if you let it run on like this.” “Wait!” was Charley’s sole reply to the playful outbreak. ‘Wait for what?” Mr. Teeters begged to be informed. ‘The wine,’ Charley answered him im- passively. Jean came back. “The lady is charmed, sir,’ he recited with the suave importance of his kind. 153 “She begs me to say that she takes the New York papers at home and has read about you both. She knew you by your pictures.” | ““Ha!’”’ exclaimed Mr. Teeters. “She says,”’ went on the head waiter, ‘‘she will be delighted if you could find it to your pleasure to have your dinner served at her table.” Charley’s hazel eyes widened. This was something totally unlooked-for and, by rea- son of it, captivating. He was clean-minded and straightforward in his ways, and the oddity of the invitation did not occur to him. It was one good fellow meeting an- other, and the more cause for self-gratula- tion that the other fellow happened to be a most engaging girl. “By George!’ he cried. Come on, Percy!” He sprang up, and with a beaming face crossed over to the other table. “IT guess yes! II MR. TEETERS followed his chief, though not with marked alacrity. He was a little startled by the rapid sequence of events and, also, he was a trifle piqued at himself. Women were his pecul- iar province. They held no mystery for such as he. They were as transparent to his searching eye as the glass cover to a dish of prunes. And here he had sat by like a tame toad under a bilberry-bush and let Charley beat him to the gate! It put him back a peg in his own estimation— which is the cruelest sort of setback a man can suffer. However, as he progressed with his din- ner Mr. Teeters recovered his peace of mind. Miss King was a delightful companion. She had a way of deferring to one’s opinion that was as heady as the wine they drank. It made a chap realize that he cut some figure in affairs, and gave him a new respect for the mother that bore him. In fine, it made a fellow appreciate his worth at its proper value. “Do you know,” said the lady, after they had sounded the shallow well of small-talk that strangers draw from in the first stages of acquaintance, ‘‘do you know I am tempt- ed to tell you a secret, you two men of the world. I want your advice.” “Fine!”? applauded Charley. long suit.” “‘Percy’s DOOK (©