Argosy All-Story Weekly, November 13, 1920 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

THE ORCHID HUNTRESS. royalty. Two subordinates came forward, and the hovering, black-coated three in- sinuated Norine Lawton and her compan- ion into their respective chairs. The business of ordering followed with demands from Jerry that the maitre d’ho- tel himself come and receive instructions as to just what the hors-d’oeuvres should con- sist of and the particular sauce- for the mushrooms-au-berre. During this time Norine sat drawing off her gloves, adjusting the small fur collar of her black satin dress with its Oriental em- broidery, and turning the one ring she wore to its proper position on her finger. When she had drawn her snug sleeves slightly over her narrow white hands, she rested her clasped fingers on the edge of the table and looked at Jerry. “Endive!” he was saying. ‘‘ D’you get thatre And white bait—you see that it’s fixed up right! And the wine—f know ail about this two-and-a-quarter business, but —you understand!” Norine’s eyes traveled slowly over his taupe-colored waistcoat, the perfectly tail- ored brown of his suit and up to his im- maculately shaven face. It was a pleasant face! The skin was clear and _ fresh- steamed from a session with the barber. The eyes were blue and frankly ingenuous, a fit complement for the wide expanse of his smile. The hair was beginning to recede slight- ly from Jerry’s forehead, but, as that mem- ber had never been particularly high, the effect was not unpleasing. All in all, Jerry Brent was far from a bad man to be lunch- ing with at Pellico’s on a clear-blue Oc- | tober day; and Norine’s smile as _ the maitre d’hotel took himself away, was tes- timony of the fact. ‘“Well, duchess!” said Jerry Brent, “You're dolled to the eyes. Those new duds look like a million. Where d’you get "em?” 7 Norine shrugged scornfully. “Some Betty doesn’t want any more, of course!” Norine’s eyes had lost their smile. Her lips were drawn in a taut little line that with her meant displeasure. “Don’t like it, eh?” grinned Jerry. “Well, here then! Whar apout this? It 293 may serve to buy you a hat or something while you’re waiting for more.” He took a leather wallet from his pocket, abstracted a folded bit of paper and hand- ed it across to her. She took the slip, opened and looked it over carefully. Then she refolded it, brought her black-silk bag to the top of the table, snapped open its tortoise-shell top and looked at him. “What for?” she inquired. “The Rembrandt.” ‘““Um-m-m! Old Masters made in New York! What did he fall for?” sees thousand. * “And you—” ‘Double the check. We split fifty-fifty, you and I!” ‘““Um-m-m! That was a bit risky, Jerry! I wouldn’t want to do it again. If any of my friends happened to see that picture hung in Carruthers’s house—” ‘““ Kasy, sister! Carruthers won’t make that highbrow bunch in a million years! If they did—a mistake.” “Ves! The best critics do. But this particular Rembrandt—and with tie art I’ve dabbled in—” _ “ Baldwin wants some more steered his way.” ‘“And I’m to be the pilot? not, Jerry!” ‘““ Easy pickings for you!” ‘“ Perhaps,” she answered. The hors-d’oeuvres arrived duly arranged after Jerry’s order. Norine stopped to eat a bit daintily. Then she spoke again. ‘Did Harrison see you?” “This morning.” ‘Was he successful?” With a quick amused little quirk of her lips. “He thinks so. He almost went down on his marrows to get the dope from me. And he just about kissed me because I of- fered to save him trouble by carrying the deal for him through my brokers. I said I thought I could influence them to take fifty per cent in collateral.” I’d rather ‘“Um-m-m! I should think you could. You mean to buy short?” (a4 Ves. ) “What do you figure we’ll make?” ‘‘ All depends on how many shares he falls for. He’s not a plunger, Norine.” GEomichoo (a) (E(0)