Margaret Cameron

“ You weren't leaving that glittering wake of police whistle behind you, I suppose? Well, that's a difference of opinion which we'll settle later."
"Honk! honk!" anxiously urged the horn, under Pauline's fingers.
"Let me up! Don't you know a man of your own caste when you hear him speak?"
Voice and accent are their own credentials, and McLean's captor, turning an attentive gaze upon his prisoner, eventually removed the knee of oppression.
"All right," said he. "Get up. But don't try any funny business or there'll be more trouble for you right away. Here comes your friend." ”

“ The host's glance, into which amusement was creeping, flickered around the table, comprehensively touching Mrs. Baxter and Pauline; and then he began to laugh, a slow, chuckling regurgitation which, once started, apparently he could not check.
"Well, by George! That's a good one!" he ejaculated. "Phil, go and rescue that bill before it blows away! Mr. McLean, my congratulations! When I am in need of a juggler, I'll remember you. You're hard to beat! The Cat and the Canary, eh? I was sure I recognized the look!"
"Perhaps you know the taste of canary yourself, sir," quietly suggested Barry. ”

“ He's going to take lunch with me to-morrow. Will you join us?"
"With pleasure." Barry's tone was quiet, but his very soul sung within him, for here was indisputable proof that, despite their brief acquaintance, he had won Elihu Baxter's confidence and support. Men were not lightly asked to meet John L. Corson. And if, with Mr. Baxter's help, he could interest Mr. Corson in his project, his mission in the East would be brought to a successful issue, the new company formed under the most auspicious conditions, and his own future—with that of his wife and son—practically assured. ”

“ Baxter immediately and properly divested himself of his dust-coat.
"If you don't mind," said Barry to his jailer-host, "and if the ladies will excuse me, I'll keep mine on. I—I'm afraid I'm not very presentable underneath." Then, seeing the surprised glances of his own party, he added, nervously: "About the time that police whistle went, off, I came into sudden and violent contact with a fellow who was running at a lively clip, and—"
"Barry! Were you hurt?" cried his wife.
"Not in the least." He attempted a reassuring smile.
"You were! You're as white as death!" ”

“ Baxter. "How can any one be so careless?"
"Probably the mistress of the house is away," said Pauline, "and the mice are consequently at play. They ought to lose something—temporarily—as a warning." Again she pressed the arm. "Retribution should overtake them."
"Well, probably it will, properly and in due course," responded McLean, adding rather enigmatically to his guests, "Anyhow, I'm no journeyman providence!"
"Barry, please stop!" cried his wife an instant later, as they veered into another street. "I've lost my gloves!" ”

“ It will be genuine transformation. What shall it be? Will this do?" His left hand unbuttoned the coat, but still held its edges together, while his right dragged forth something long and white which ultimately resolved itself into a delicate and beautifully wrought robe de nuit.
"Elihu, I think that is perfectly wonderful!" exclaimed Mrs. Baxter. "How did he do it?"
"You will find the five-dollar bill," continued Barry to Mr. Corson, "pinned to the clothes-line in your back yard."
"Oh!" gasped Pauline, enlightened.
"By Jove!" Garrick sprang to his feet. "May I go and see?" ”

“ I especially disclaim any supernatural influence. What I am about to show you will be the normal and natural result of normal and natural powers legitimately used. Kindly keep that in mind. Will some gentleman in the audience kindly oblige me with a five-dollar bill? Preferably a crisp, new one. Any gentleman?"
Mr. and Mrs. Baxter were frankly amused and interested, Pauline's face wore an anxious, puzzled smile, and Garrick's eyes were suspiciously narrowed. Mr. Corson sat at the end of his table, alert, unmoved, courteous, and cold.
"Thank you, Mr. Baxter," Barry buoyantly proceeded. ”

“ Corson."
The introduction was formally acknowledged, and involuntarily Barry closed his eyes as he saw his new-born hopes go shuddering into chaos, for in Mr. Corson's steely glance there was no softening.
"You've met Mr. McLean recently, you say?" the capitalist grimly inquired.
"Yes. He has just come on from the West in connection with some business which we'll discuss with you to-morrow. To-night, Mrs. Baxter and I have been dining— By the way, you've never met my wife, have you? Come over and be presented."
"I'll be going on," quietly suggested Garrick in Corson's ear. ”

“ I have been among you—one of you—all the evening, and a man does not carry about with him in the ordinary walks of life the mechanical paraphernalia commonly used by prestidigitateurs. Therefore, any manifestations which I may be able to make for you here you will readily recognize as unquestionable proof of the remarkable control I possess over the powers of earth and air, rather than the result of any previous preparation or present illusion. ”

“ Perplexed for the moment by the necessity of secreting it so that it should not attract the attention of their guests on his return to the automobile, its soft texture speedily solved the problem, and rapidly unbuttoning his waistcoat, he wound the delicate fabric snugly around him like a belt, and by dint of some effort succeeded in rebuttoning the waistcoat over it, reflecting the while that his dust-coat would effectually conceal any unnatural rotundity which might otherwise be evident on the way home. ”

“ Never takes anybody's estimate of a man. Always forms his own—sometimes in queer ways. You never know how a thing's going to affect him, even when it's funny—and his sense of humor is one of the keenest things about him. ”

“ It's easy to do things that look impossible—if you know how."
He asked for a pack of cards, and the others pushed their chairs back from the table, the better to watch his very pretty exhibition of card-throwing, "just to get my hand in," he explained. In reality it was a device to gain time in which to perfect his audacious plan. Then, standing at some distance from the table, he buttoned his coat, pulled up his sleeves, and began. ”

“ It chanced that a man making equal speed down the street reached the same point at the same moment, and the two came into sharp collision, with the natural and inevitable result. In falling, Barry became entangled in the folds of the long coat, which he had hung over his arm, and before he could extricate himself and arise, the party of the second part recovered his equilibrium sufficiently to seize McLean by the collar and bear him again to earth ”

“ I imagine the cat that ate the canary looked something as you do when he was discovered."
"Honk! Monk! Honk!"
The lights of an automobile circled around the corner and the machine bore down upon the group.
"I suppose that's your car," ironically inquired Garrick.
"It is," replied McLean, between his teeth; "my car—and my wife."
"Barry? Barry, is that you?" The automobile swung in toward the curb and stopped.
"Yes, here I am. It's all right."
"Did anything happen? We heard a police whistle and shouting, and we were afraid that— Why didn't you come back? Mr. Baxter said—"
"Baxter?" ”

“ He nimbly hopped out of the car and joined the bewildered men on the sidewalk, warmly shaking hands with the one who had hailed him. "Speak of the—ahem! We were just talking about you. I see you've already made Mr. McLean's acquaintance."
"Um—hardly," was the rejoinder. "We were simply discussing the—er—the occasion for all that whistling. You say this is a friend of yours?"
"Mr. McLean is a young man in whom I have lately become very much interested. I've just arranged to have him take lunch with us to-morrow. This"—turning to his dismayed host—"as you have undoubtedly guessed, is Mr. ”