Part 36 (1/2)
His education was progressing apace, for love is the greatest of educators, and Buddy was in love--madly, extravagantly in love. Love it was that accounted for his presence in Dallas, and his occupancy of the Governor's suite at the Ajax. A fellow in love with the most wonderful woman in the world couldn't afford to look cheap in his home town, could he?
Of course Dallas was not Buddy's home town, but it had been his point of departure into the world, and it was the home of his bank account, hence some pride of proprietors.h.i.+p was pardonable. It gave him such a pleasing sense of importance to adopt the city as his own that he adopted everything and everybody in it.
In spite of the fact that the train from Wichita Falls was behind time, one morning shortly after Buddy's arrival, he was still abed when Calvin Gray arrived at the hotel. Instead of disturbing the slumbers of youth, Gray went directly to the detective who had telegraphed him, and for half an hour or more the two talked.
Later, during the course of a leisurely bath and shave, the new arrival pondered the information he had received. Here was a problem. Having dressed himself, he strolled around to Coverly's place of business and interviewed the jeweler.
”Sure! He has bought quite a bit of stuff in the last few days,”
Coverly told him. ”He was in only yesterday and ordered a fine piece made up. He wanted a ruby heart pierced with a diamond arrow, but I got him off that and onto a blue Brazilian solitaire. We're mounting it in a platinum lady's ring.”
”What is the price?”
”Forty-five hundred, and the value is there.”
”Have you seen the woman?”
Coverly nodded. ”The boy is a good picker. I don't blame her much, either, for I've seen a lot of worse-looking fellows than Buddy.”
”Hold the ring. He may change his mind.”
”I say!” Coverly was in dismay. ”Are you going to spoil the best sale I've made in two weeks?”
”Oh, I'll take it off your hands if he doesn't. Make some excuse not to deliver it until I say the word. You don't know the woman, eh?”
”Never saw her before.”
Gray knocked several times at the Governor's suite before a sleepy response, a succession of yawns and mutterings, told him that he had been heard. The door opened finally and the pride of the Briskow family, his eyes all but swelled shut, his muscular figure splendidly arrayed in futuristic silken pajamas, mumbled:
”What's eatin' you, any--?” The eyes opened wider, Buddy's face broke into a slow smile. ”Why, Mr. Gray!” He extended a palm, a bit dry and feverish, and drew his caller inside. ”Dawg_-gone!_ I'm glad to see you.”
Gray entered with a buoyant laugh and a hearty greeting; he clapped the young giant heavily upon the back. At the blow Buddy voiced a sharp cry and seized his head.
”Easy over the b.u.mps! I'm carryin' a cargo of nitroglycerine, and I'll let go if you jar me,” he explained.
”Sorry! I know how it feels. But, man alive, it's afternoon! I began to think you were dead.”
Buddy led the way into his bedroom, piled his pillows together and gingerly lowered himself upon them. He showed his strong white teeth in a wide grin and winked meaningly. ”I'll be all right directly. It's this here sim--sympathetic booze they talk about. Have a drink, Mr.
Gray? There's a coupla bottles of real liquor in the closet--not this tiger's milk you get--”
The caller declined the invitation. ”Where the devil have you been, Buddy? We were getting worried.”
”Who, me? Oh, I been--lookin' around.”
”Your mother is nearly frantic.”
Buddy stirred uneasily. ”Pshaw! I'm fine. I can take keer of myself.
n.o.body don't need to worry about me.”
”Good! Now then, you young scoundrel, I'm going to order you the sort of breakfast that goes with what ails you, and while it is coming up, you are going to jump under the shower.”
”Where d'you get that 'jump' stuff?” the youth inquired, faintly.