登陆注册
5697900000046

第46章

He started as though he couldn't believe his eyes when he saw me.

"The Lord hath delivered mine enemy into my hand,"shone in his evil little face.

"Why,Mr.Tausig,"I cried,before he could get his breath.

"How odd to meet you here!Did you find a baby,too?""Did I find--"He glared at me."I find you;that's enough.

Now--"

"But the luncheon was to be at twelve-thirty,"I laughed."And I haven't changed my dress yet.""You'll change it all right for something not so becoming if you don't shell out that paper.""Paper?"

"Yes,paper.Look here,if you give it back to me this minute--now--I'll not prosecute you for--for--""For the sake of my reputation?"I suggested softly.

"Yes."He looked doubtfully at me,mistrusting the amiable deference of my manner.

"That would be awfully good of you,"I murmured.

He did not answer,but watched me as though he wasn't sure which way I'd jump the next moment.

"I wonder what could induce you to be so forgiving,"I went on musingly."What sort of paper is this you miss?It must be valuable--""Yes,it's valuable all right.Come on,now!Quit your fooling and get down to business.I'm going to have that paper.""Do you know,Mr.Tausig,"I said impulsively,"if I were you,and anybody had stolen a valuable paper from me,I'd have him arrested.I would.I should not care a rap what the public exposure did to his reputation,so long--so long,"I grinned right up at him,"so long as it didn't hurt me,myself,in the eyes of the law."Mad?Oh,he was hopping!A German swear-word burst from him.

I don't know what it meant,but I can imagine.

"Look here,I give you one more chance,"he squeaked;"if you don't--""What'll you do?"

I was sure I had him.I was sure,from the very whisper in which he had spoken,that the last thing in the world he wanted was to have that agreement made public by my arrest.But I tripped up on one thing.I didn't know there was a middle way for a man with money.

His manner changed.

"Nance Olden,"he said aloud now,"I charge you with stealing a valuable private paper of mine from my desk.Here,Sergeant!"I hadn't particularly noticed the Sergeant standing at the other door with his back to us.But from the way he came at Tausig's call I knew he'd had a private talk with him,and I knew he'd found the middle way.

"This girl's taken a paper of mine.I want her searched,"Tausig cried.

"Do you mean,"I said,"that you'll sign your name to such a charge against me?"He didn't answer.He had pulled the Sergeant down and was whispering in his ear.I knew what that meant.It meant a special pull and a special way of doing things and--"You'll do well,my girl,to give up Mr.Tausig's property to him,"the Sergeant said stiffly.

"But what have I got that belongs to him?"I demanded.

He grinned and shrugged his big shoulders.

"We've a way of finding out,you know,here.Give it up or--""But what does he say I've taken?What charge is there against me?Have you the right to search any woman who walks in here?And what in the world would I want a paper of Tausig's for?""You won't give it up then?"He tapped a bell.

A woman came in.I had a bad minute there,but it didn't last;it wasn't the matron I'd brought the baby to.

"You'll take this girl into the other room and search her thoroughly.The thing we're looking for--"The Sergeant turned to Tausig.

"A small paper,"he said eagerly."A--a contract--just a single sheet of legal cap paper it was type-written and signed by myself and some other gentlemen,and folded twice."The woman looked at me.She was a bit hard-mouthed,with iron-gray hair,but her eyes looked as though they'd seen a lot and learned not to flinch,though they still felt like it.I knew that kind of look--I'd seen it at the Cruelty.

"What an unpleasant job this of yours is,"I said to her,smiling up at her for all the world as that tike of a baby had smiled at me,and watching her melt just as I had."I'll not make it a bit harder.This thing's all a mistake.Which way?.

.I'll come back,Mr.Tausig,to receive your apology,but you can hardly expect me to go to lunch after this."He growled a wrathful,resenting mouthful.But he looked a bit puzzled just the same.

He looked more puzzled yet,even bewildered,when we came back into the main office a quarter of an hour later,the woman and I,and she reported that no paper of any kind had she found.

Me?Oh,I was sweet amiability personified with the woman and with the Sergeant,who began to back-water furiously.But with Tausig--What?You don't mean to say you're not on,Mag?Oh,dear,dear,it's well you had that beautiful wig of red hair that puts even Carter's in the shade;for you'd never have been a success in--in other businesses I might name.

Bamboozled the woman?Not a bit of it;you can't deceive women with mouths and eyes like that.It was just that I'd had a flash of genius in the minute I heard Tausig's voice,and in spite of my being so sure he wouldn't have me arrested I'd--Guess,Mag,guess!There was only one way.

The baby,of course!In the moment I had--it wasn't long--I'd stooped down,pretending to kiss that cherub good-by,and in a jiffy I'd pinned that precious paper with a safety-pin to the baby's under-petticoat,preferring that risk to--Risk!I should say it was.And now it was up to Nance to make good.

While Tausig insisted and explained and expostulated and at last walked out with the Sergeant--giving me a queer last look that was half-cursing,half-placating--I stood chatting sweetly with the woman who had searched me.

I didn't know just how far I might go with her.She knew the paper wasn't on me,and I could see she was disposed to believe Iwas as nice as she'd have liked me to be.But she'd had a lot of experience and she knew,as most women do even without experience,that if there's not always fire where there is smoke,it's because somebody's been clever enough and quick enough to cover the blaze.

"Well,good-by,"I said,putting out my hand."It's been disagreeable but I'm obliged to you for--why,where's my purse!

同类推荐
  • 忍经

    忍经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说辩意长者子所问经

    佛说辩意长者子所问经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 肉攫部

    肉攫部

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 本草衍义

    本草衍义

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 灵宝净明院行遣式

    灵宝净明院行遣式

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 无良女太监(完)

    无良女太监(完)

    云蕊,一介无良女,被只大老鼠吓得失足掉楼--!没想到却大难不死,穿越到了个小公主身上。仔细想想,貌似赚了?呃,不对啊!哪有这么狼狈的公主?落魄到要伪装成太监来求生存!咳!虽然咱这出身是糗了点,不过这皇宫里的美男很多呢:太监里有美男,皇子里有美男,朝政里也有美男!哇咔咔!对于云蕊这介无良女来说还真是老鼠掉进米缸了!太监就太监吧,日子照样过!不好!眼看着一天天长大,总不能一直扮太监啊,会穿绑滴!怎么办?!友情提示:此文结局时很赶,不喜勿进,别自己看了又生气哦!慎入啊,慎入,最好绕道!看其他文去吧!
  • 阎连科短篇小说精选

    阎连科短篇小说精选

    该书是作者的短篇小说集,收录了《柳乡长》、《革命浪漫主义》、《奴儿》、《三棒槌》等39篇短篇小说。作者有不少的中篇小说和长篇小说,但他的创作是从短篇开始的。从1980到2010年的短篇作品,这里都有收集,并将其分为三辑。这个短篇集子是作者对自己创作的一次精彩回顾。
  • 新国学(第七卷)

    新国学(第七卷)

    本书是第7卷《新国学》,书中具体收录了:《蔡琰的号啕,美杜莎的笑——蔡琰研究的性别反思》、《“儿女情”与“风云气”——论张华文学及其玄儒思想》、《唐代华亭德诚禅师《拨棹歌》所呈现的意涵》、《林希逸诗学思想的特色及其学术基础简论》等研究文章。
  • 僧宝正续传

    僧宝正续传

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 北洋总管段祺瑞

    北洋总管段祺瑞

    段祺瑞品质高尚,爱国有心,同时又倾心权术,迷信武力。一生毁誉参半。段祺瑞在史上有“三造共和”之美誉,即致电逼迫清帝退位、讨伐张勋复辟、抵制袁世凯称帝。他曾多次组阁,是北洋军阀中少有的铁腕人物。
  • 一生何求

    一生何求

    他看在她在阳光里呼呼大睡,小脸红通通的,娇憨可爱,如春风十里。
  • 神话小栈

    神话小栈

    一人独占天下运道,最是凡人道尊李易,踏足洪荒,游玩三界,无敌心无所事,随心而已!(神话群728905690)
  • 为子成婚,宠后要休夫

    为子成婚,宠后要休夫

    (又名:平女皇后):古灵精怪的她,穿越千年,难道就只为了找个未曾谋面的男人成亲吗?NO,答应的是傻子,想要儿子,自己搞定!可这个孩子也太……东家的脸青了,西家的东西砸了,南家……拐个老实相公来管管,可无妻的他,竟然有数不清的老婆+小妾!平民咋了,敢骗我,照样休夫!<br/>&nbsp;看着那个他的缩小版,微服出巡的他忽然觉得头皮发麻,他可是堂堂的一国之主,怎么会有遗漏在外的龙种?该死的,这个小孩是从哪里来的?那个女人怎么这么的眼熟?他现在就缺太子、皇后,拐回去,好像不错……&nbsp;<br/>【下部】可爱刁蛮的公主,高高兴兴的回宫,才知道……她有婚约?什么?还是娃娃亲?YYD,想我可爱聪明古灵精怪的无敌美女小公主,怎么会有个什么娃娃亲未婚夫?而且,更更可恶的是,那个男人竟然叫色浩?色浩,还好色呢!公主我不干了,我要逃婚!逃出皇宫,逃出京城,怎么说也要自己选个相公,实在不行,就和娘一样,来个先斩后奏,奉子成婚!不过,这外面帅哥也太多了吧?帅哥们,想娶我,也要看你们的本事!非np(下部从第十三卷开始)<br/>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
  • 新婚总裁很勇猛

    新婚总裁很勇猛

    一场势在必得的豪夺,成就了一出销魂蚀骨的一夜.情。他的强悍霸道,她的娇媚可人,密不可分的缠绵了整整一夜!被男友以前途为名,送上了他的床。伤心欲绝的她远走他乡,却意外发现自己怀孕了!而孩子的亲生父亲是谁她都不知道。他突然出现,强硬地让她冠上他的姓氏,莫明其妙的当上了名满盛京的慕家少夫人!
  • 重生医女:邪王轻点宠

    重生医女:邪王轻点宠

    陷害?她化解!拉帮结派?不是她的作风!意外穿越到古代将军府备受欺凌的弱小姐身上,无意中被四皇子看上,姐妹陷害,皇子拉结,看她如何锋芒毕露,翻手为云覆手雨,灭小人,虐毒妇,挡路者一一扫清。石榴裙下尸骨多,后宫之路不好走,却被风流王爷揽入怀中。夫妻联手,前途无忧!--情节虚构,请勿模仿