Argosy and Railroad Man's Magazine, Vol. 107 No. 3 — page 172: what you’re looking at

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

514 meet us, fora moment. We'll go right over now.” Heim stared, then grinned. Johnson he knew to be a fellow crook who had often been of service to them. | “Sure,” he muttered. ‘“ I get you.” He accompanied Cawston out to the coat- room where the latter spoke a few swift, well-chosen words. Miss Farley they sent into the private office to see that Wilbur did not become curious about the papers scattered over the desk in their absence. The stenographer entered the sanctum with a petulant toss of her dark head. She disliked being ordered about by the two partners. She disliked the partners. Where- fore, she flushed, making a pretty picture for the eyes of Mr. Wilbur. The gentleman from Flint stared. As the ‘girl bent over the desk with a soft, agile movement, Wilbur clutched his umbrella and whistled to himself. Cawston had instructed Miss Farley to remain where she was until he returned. She stood by the desk irresolutely, and she glanced at Wilbur. Their eyes met. Wilbur had a handsome and honest face. It was not strange that the girl’s glance lingered for just a second. She had seen many victims of Cawston; but.she felt sud- denly sorry for Wilbur. On his wife’s ac- count, she told herself. Cawston returned. When the men left the office Miss Farley looked after them meditatively. When the outer door snapped shut, she drew a quick breath. Her eyes sparkled as she skipped out of the office to her desk. ‘“‘She’s a grand looker,” said Blum to Riggs. | III. : AT two o’clock that afternoon Miss Far- ley slipped from her small chair ixto the sanctum of Cawston. The flush that had been in her cheeks that morning still re- mained, and her fine eyes were alight. Cawston, who had his feet on his desk, and his cigar aglow, paid no heed to these feminine storm signals. He considered the girl merely an ornament of the outer office, useful at times because quick-witted. He rather regretted, if he thought of her at all, ARGOSY AND RAILROAD MAN’S MAGAZINE. that she must hear so much of what went on in the sanctum, over the partition.. “Is Mr. Wilbur coming in this afternoon, Mr. Cawston?”’ she asked politely. “Rather!” grunted the sharper. ‘“ Oh, yes; I’d say he was coming in, with nearly five thousand in cash. Pretty soon, too.” “Then Mr. Heim is with him?” the girl wanted to know. “No. Heim’s through for to-day. Wil- bur’s coming straight here from the bank where he’s cashed his check. We like cash here, Miss Farley. Heim took him to lunch and steered him this way. Nothing more for you to do, I guess.” | He wondered momentarily why the girl asked her question. Miss Farley’s next query explained the matter. ‘Then can I go out for an hour, Mr. Cawston? I got a friend I’d like to meet.” ‘“‘ Sure, sure, Miss Farley.” He smiled amiably, thinking of the forty- six hundred in cash Wilbur was bringing. A good haul. The sucker-list of Cawston & Heim showed no better haul. A few more of that sort and it would be time to close the office and flit—somewhere else. Names were plentiful—and Miss Farley, Riggs, and Blum could get other jobs. This, however, did not concern him much. The girl donned hat and coat and made her way out of the office. In the lobby of the office building, on the street floor, she hesitated. There were two entrances, and the man she wanted to meet might come by either. She took up a position by the wall facing the elevators. In this way she would be sure to see him. Moments passed, while the girl chewed coolly at her gum. Men entered and left. She scanned them all.with an alert eye. Then she ran forward and caught a powerful individual by the arm. ‘Oh, Mr. Wilbur,” she cried, “I got a message for you.” The manufacturer from Flint swung around, recognition flashing into his glance. He took off his hat politely. ‘‘T'm Miss Farley,” hurried on the girl, “from Cawston & Heim. You remember me, don’t you? I got something to tell you.” _She hesitated, looking around. They NOO = (C(O) S Co mM