Part 6 (2/2)
His hands sought his pockets. ”I guess that's about all I know of the story,” he completed.
”All except after he was graduated.” It was interest genuine now.
”So you have begun to take notice at last,” commented Armstrong, smilingly. ”I'm a better _raconteur_ than I imagined. When it comes to being specific, though, after he graduated, I admit I can't say much authoritatively. He'll talk about anything, ordinarily, except himself. I know of a dozen cases from the papers, some of them big ones, that he's been concerned in during the last few years; but he's never mentioned them to me. He seemed to get in right from the start. How he managed to turn the trick I haven't the slightest conception; he simply did. As I said before, he grows to be more of an enigma to me all the time.”
Apparently the girl lost interest in the party under discussion; at least she asked no more questions and, dilatory as usual when not definitely directed, Armstrong dropped the lead. For a minute they sat so, gazing out into the night, silent. Under stimulus of a new thought, point blank, whimsical, came a change of subject.
”By the way,” commented Armstrong, ”I'm considering quitting the University and going into business, Elice. What do you think of the idea?”
”What--I beg your pardon, Steve.”
The other repeated the question, all but soberly this time.
”Do you mean it, Steve, really, or are you just drawing me out?”
”Mean it!” Armstrong laughed. ”Perhaps, and perhaps not. I don't know.
What do you think of the notion, anyway?”
The girl looked at him steadily, a sudden wrinkle between her eyes.
”You have something special in mind, I judge, Steve; something I don't know about. What is it?”
”Special!” Armstrong laughed again, shortly this time. ”Yes, I suppose so; though I didn't know it when I first asked the question. Now I'm uncertain--you take the suggestion so seriously. Graham, the specialty man, made me an offer to-day to go in with him. Five thousand dollars a year to start with, and a prospect of more later on.”
The wrinkle between the girl's eyes smoothed. Her hands recrossed in her lap.
”You refused the offer, I judge,” she said.
”No; that is, I told him I'd take the matter under advis.e.m.e.nt.” Armstrong glanced at his companion swiftly; but she was not looking at him and he too stared out into the night. ”I wanted to hear what you said about it first.”
”Steve!”
In the darkness the man's face colored.
”Elice, aren't you--ashamed a bit to doubt me?”
”No.” She was looking at him now smilingly. ”I don't doubt you. I know you.”
”You fancy I refused point blank, without waiting to tell you about it?”
For the third time the girl's fingers crossed and interlocked. That was all.
”Elice!” The man moved over to her, paused so, looking down into her face. ”Tell me, I'm dead in earnest. Don't you trust me?”
”I trust you absolutely, Steve; but that doesn't prevent my knowing you.”
”And I tell you I took the matter under advis.e.m.e.nt.”
”He persuaded you to. You refused at first even to consider it.”
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