Earl Derr Biggers

“ By the way, two of my bridesmaids arrived from New York last night. Lovely girls—both of them. But I forget!"
"Forget what?"
"Your young heart is already ensnared, isn't it?"
"Yes," replied Minot fervently. "It is. But no matter. Tell me about your preparations for the wedding. I should like to enjoy the thrill of it—by proxy."
"How like a man—wants all the thrill and none of the bother. It's dreadfully hard staging a wedding, way down here a thousand miles from everything. ”

“ Minot asked.
"Of course not." Harrowby flushed a delicate pink. "It belongs in our family—has for years. Everybody knows that."
"Well, what is the trouble?"
"I'll explain it all later. There's really nothing dishonorable—as men of the world look at such things. I give you my word that you can serve Mr. Jephson best by keeping the necklace for the present—and seeing to it that it does not fall into the hands of the men who are looking for it."
Minot sat staring gloomily ahead of him. Then he reached out, took up the necklace, and restored it to his pocket. ”

“ Can you imagine the thrill of that!"
"Only faintly."
"How stupid being a man must be."
"And how glorious being a girl, with man only an afterthought—even at wedding time."
"Poor Harrowby! He keeps in the lime-light fairly well, however." They walked along a moment in silence. "I've wondered," she said at length. "Why did you kidnap—Mr. Trimmer's—friend?"
"Because—"
"Yes?"—eagerly.
Minot looked at her, and something rose in his throat to choke him.
"I can't tell you," he said. "It is the fault of—the Master of the Show. I'm only the pawn—the baffled, raging, unhappy little pawn. ”

“ A few low words, and Harrowby went out with the detective.
Martin Wall ascended the stair. On the dim balcony he was confronted by a white-faced girl whose wonderful copper hair had once held Chain Lightning's Collar.
"What does it mean?" she asked, her voice low and tense.
"Mean?" Martin Wall laughed. "It means that Lord Harrowby must go north and face a United States Commissioner in Jersey City. It seems that when he brought that necklace over he quite forgot to tell the customs officials about it."
"Go north! When?"
"To-night. On the midnight train. North to Jersey City." ”

“ Play one against the other—make 'em keener for my goods. I've got a notion to clean up here quick and then go back to the real stuff. That little girl from the Middle West—I've forgot all about her, of course. ”