Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 159: what you’re looking at

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

_ THE MILLIONAIRE PIKER. was a favorite resort for the two men, and as a matter of fact it was in one of the small cell-like private rooms that they first discussed the subject of a partnership several months before they finally went into it. SESS The partners sat down at a small table in the main dining room. They ordered their meal and sat waiting for it to be served. | “Well, Tom, we're off,” Talmage re- marked. “I’m betting we make a lot of money.” = 3 “We'll have to make some pretty soon, Tal. We sure sank a lot of money getting started. How about Anneke Jans? Have you done anything about that matter?” ~ “Not yet, but I’m going to get started to-morrow. I’ve got to locate Bannon, and there’s a fellow out in Cottonwood, Idaho, who is supposed to have trunks full of records.” It might be well in passing to remark that Anneke Jans was a respectable Dutch woman who died in New York in 1663, and whose descendants have from time to time attempted to prove title to a huge tract of land in the heart of the city. The claim is entirely valueless, but the partners, or rather Talmage, had an idea that the firm - of Remington & Talmage might somehow succeed in earning a substantial fee out of the situation. “ Just how do you intend to handle that Jans matter, Tal?” Remington asked. “Oh, I’m going to—” He stopped in the middle of his sentence. ‘Say, isn’t that John Garreston who just came in with that girl?”’ he whispered. “ By golly, it is, and some chicken, too.” “ Tom, there goes our first case. Anneke Jans can wait.” “ Perhaps it’s his daughter.” “Daughter? Nothing. Do you get that complexion and the length of that skirt? Nobody’s daughter ever looked like that.” “What about it even if she isn’t his daughter?” “What about it! Say, haven’t you been reading the newspapers lately? Garretson has been in the news.” | “ Oh, yes, I remember his wife sued him for a divorce a year or so ago, didn’t she?” 629 “Yes, she sued him, but she didn’t get the divorce. She wants that divorce a fot, and he'll come across to keep her from getting it. There’s a row, too, in the Traders Bank. Garretson got too much publicity out of his divorce case, and there are rumors that the board would like to see him resign. About one more scandal would fix him there.” While they were whispering, Garretson and the girl passed their table, nodded cheerily to a waiter, and passed into the only stall that was still vacant, which happened to be the one nearest the table where the partners were eating. They pulled the curtain to after them, and about all the partners heard for some time was a low murmuring. Once they heard the girl’s voice say, “‘ Now, Howard, you shouldn’t,” and then a masculine ‘ Sh-h,” and her voice sank to an unrecognizable murmur again. Remington whispered to Talmage, “ Did you get what she called him?” “Yes,” his partner returned, “I. heard it. I wonder what she thinks the rest of his name is?” “T don’t know, but JI’ll bet she doesn’t suspect it’s Garretson.” “You can’t get me to take that bet. What’s our next move?” “We've got to find out who the girl is first of all.” “That will be easy. from here.” They finished their meal and paid their check. Then Talmage went out and got a taxicab, which he had wait in front of the restaurant for an emergency. About half an hour later, Garretson and the girl left their private room and passed out of the restaurant just ahead of Remington and Talmage, so close in fact that they could hear the couple addressing each other as “ Mildred” and “Howard.” As they We can trail her got to the curb, Garretson told the driver of his taxicab, “ Take this young lady to 835 Universal Avenue,” and, handed him a bill. He also handed the girl a bill. She looked at it, and then said, “ Can't you make it a hundred, Howard? I want to buy some curtains and things.” — —_—_—.- =COMmiIcbOOKS (E) =