A Splendid Hazard. Harold MacGrath

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СКАЧАТЬ who offered sovereigns for shillings, and never exchanged a coin.

      Once he turned to see if his friends were still watching him. They were, two among many; for the exploit had gone round, and there were other wagers being laid on the result. While his head was turned, and his grin was directed at the club window, a handsome young woman in blue came along. She paused, touched her lips with her gloved hand meditatingly, and then went right-about-face swiftly. Some one in the window motioned frantically to the vender, but he did not understand. Ten minutes left in which to win his bet. He hadn't made a very good bargain. Hm! The young woman in blue was stopping. Her exquisite face was perfectly serious as her eyes ran over the collection on the tray. They were all done execrably, something Fitzgerald hadn't noticed before.

      "How much are these apiece?"

      "Er—twenty-five cents, ma'am," he stammered. As a matter of fact he hadn't any idea what the current price list was.

      "You seem very well dressed," doubtfully; "and you do not look hungry."

      "I am doing this for charity's sake," finding his wits. The policeman hovered near, scowling. He was powerless, since the young woman had spoken first.

      "Charity," in a half-articulated voice, as if the word to her possessed many angles, and she was endeavoring to find the proper one to fit the moment.

      "What organization?"

      A blank pause. "My own, ma'am, of which I am the head." There was no levity in tone or expression.

      By now every window in the club framed a dozen or more faces.

      "I will take this Canova, I believe," she finally decided, opening her purse and producing the necessary silver. "Of course, it is quite impossible to send this?"

      "Yes, ma'am. Sending it would eat up all the profits." But, with ill-concealed eagerness, "If you will leave your address I can send as many as you like."

      "I will do that."

      Incredible as it seemed, neither face lost its repose; he dared not smile, and the young woman did not care to. There was something familiar to his memory in the oval face, but this was no time for a diligent search.

      "Hey, miss," yelled one of the newsboys, "you're t'rowin' your money away. He's a fake; he ain't no statoo seller. He's doing it for a joke!"

      Fitzgerald lost a little color, that was all. But his customer ignored the imputation. She took out a card and laid it on the tray, and without further ado went serenely on her way. The policeman stepped toward her as if to speak, but she turned her delicate head aside. The crowd engulfed her presently, and Fitzgerald picked up the card. There was neither name nor definite address on it. It was a message, hastily written; and it sent a thrill of delight and speculation to his impressionable heart. Still carrying the tray before him he hastened over to the club, where there was something of an ovation. Instead of a dinner for three it became one for a dozen, and Fitzgerald passed the statuettes round as souvenirs of the most unique bet of the year. There were lively times. Toward midnight, as Fitzgerald was going out of the coat room, Cathewe spoke to him.

      "What was her name, Jack?"

      "Hanged if I know."

      "She dropped a card on your tray."

      Fitzgerald scrubbed his chin. "There wasn't any name on it. There was an address and something more. Now, wait a moment, Arthur; this is no ordinary affair. I would not show it to any one else. Here, read it yourself."

      "Come to the house at the top of the hill, in Dalton, to-morrow night at eight o'clock. But do not come if you lack courage."

      That was all. Cathewe ran a finger, comb-fashion, through his mustache. He almost smiled.

      "Where the deuce is Dalton?" Fitzgerald inquired.

      "It is a little village on the New Jersey coast; not more than forty houses, post-office, hotel, and general store; perhaps an hour out of town."

      "What would you do in my place? It may be a joke, and then again it may not. She knew that I was a rank impostor."

      "But she knew that a man must have a certain kind of daredevil courage to play the game you played. Well, you ask me what I should do in your place. I'd go."

      "I shall. It will double discount fishing. And the more I think of it, the more certain I become that she and I have met somewhere. By-by!"

      Cathewe lingered in the reading-room, pondering. Here was a twist to the wager he was rather unprepared for; and if the truth must be told, he was far more perplexed than Fitzgerald. He knew the girl, but he did not know and could not imagine what purpose she had in aiding Fitzgerald to win his wager or luring him out to an obscure village in this detective-story manner.

      "Well, I shall hear all about it from her father," he concluded.

      And all in good time he did.

CHAPTER IV

       Table of Contents

      PIRATES AND PRIVATE SECRETARIES

      It was a little station made gloomy by a single light. Once in so often a fast train stopped, if properly flagged. Fitzgerald, feeling wholly unromantic, now that he had arrived, dropped his hand-bag on the damp platform and took his bearings. It was after sundown. The sea, but a few yards away, was a murmuring, heaving blackness, save where here and there a wave broke. The wind was chill, and there was the hint of a storm coming down from the northeast.

      "Any hotel in this place?" he asked of the ticket agent, the telegraph operator, and the baggageman, who was pushing a crate of vegetables off a truck.

      "Swan's Hotel; only one."

      "Do people sleep and eat there?"

      "If they have good digestions."

      "Much obliged."

      "Whisky's no good, either."

      "Thanks again. This doesn't look much like a summer resort."

      "Nobody ever said it was. I beg your pardon, but would you mind taking an end of this darned crate?"

      "Not at all." Fitzgerald was beginning to enjoy himself. "Where do you want it?"

      "In here," indicating the baggage-room. "Thanks. Now, if there's anything I can do to help you in return, let her go."

      "Is there a house hereabouts called the top o' the hill?"

      "Come over here," said the agent. "See that hill back there, quarter of a mile above the village; those three lights? Well, that's it. They usually have a carriage down here when they're expecting any one."

      "Who owns it?"

      "Old Admiral Killigrew. Didn't you know it?"

      "Oh, Admiral Killigrew; yes, of course. I'm not a guest. Just going up there on business. Worth СКАЧАТЬ