FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157  
158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   >>  
ion before seeking cover had been to fling the necklace from him like a burning coal. For the second time in ten minutes, it had fallen to the carpet, and it was just as Jimmy straightened himself after picking it up that Sir Thomas got a full view of him. The knight stood in the doorway, his face expressing the most lively astonishment. His bulging eyes were fixed upon the necklace in Jimmy's hand. Jimmy could see him struggling to find words to cope with so special a situation, and felt rather sorry for him. Excitement of this kind was bad for a short-necked man of Sir Thomas's type. With kindly tact, he endeavored to help his host out. "Good-evening," he said, pleasantly. Sir Thomas stammered. He was gradually nearing speech. "What--what--what--" he said. "Out with it," said Jimmy. "--what--" "I knew a man once in South Dakota who stammered," said Jimmy. "He used to chew dog-biscuit while he was speaking. It cured him--besides being nutritious. Another good way is to count ten while you're thinking what to say, and then get it out quick." "You--you blackguard!" Jimmy placed the necklace carefully on the dressing-table. Then, he turned to Sir Thomas, with his hands thrust into his pockets. Over the knight's head, he could see the folds of the curtain quivering gently, as if stirred by some zephyr. Evidently, the drama of the situation was not lost on Hildebrand Spencer, twelfth Earl of Dreever. Nor was it lost on Jimmy. This was precisely the sort of situation that appealed to him. He had his plan of action clearly mapped out. He knew that it would be useless to tell the knight the true facts of the case. Sir Thomas was as deficient in simple faith as in Norman blood. Though a Londoner by birth, he had one, at least, of the characteristic traits of the natives of Missouri. To all appearances, this was a tight corner, but Jimmy fancied that he saw his way out of it. Meanwhile, the situation appealed to him. Curiously enough, it was almost identical with the big scene in act three of "Love, the Cracksman," in which Arthur Mifflin had made such a hit as the debonair burglar. Jimmy proceeded to give his own idea of what the rendering of a debonair burglar should be. Arthur Mifflin had lighted a cigarette, and had shot out smoke-rings and repartee alternately. A cigarette would have been a great help here, but Jimmy prepared to do his best without properties. "So--so, it's you, is it?" sa
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157  
158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   >>  



Top keywords:
Thomas
 

situation

 

necklace

 
knight
 

Arthur

 

Mifflin

 

debonair

 

cigarette

 

burglar

 

stammered


appealed

 
deficient
 

simple

 
Norman
 
useless
 

Though

 

traits

 

natives

 

Missouri

 

characteristic


Londoner

 

Hildebrand

 

Spencer

 

Evidently

 

zephyr

 
stirred
 

twelfth

 

action

 

mapped

 

burning


Dreever

 

precisely

 
repartee
 

lighted

 

rendering

 

alternately

 

properties

 

prepared

 

proceeded

 

Curiously


identical
 
Meanwhile
 

gently

 

corner

 

fancied

 
seeking
 

Cracksman

 
appearances
 
curtain
 

kindly