Octavus Roy Cohen

“ Mrs. Morse leaned across the table. “Yes, Mr. Braden, he does mean your pearls. He's embarrassed because we both realize that it is utterly out of the question to even suggest that you part with them, and——”
Tommy lay back in his chair. He had an infectious laugh and he now injected the full radiance of a pleasing personality in the laughter and good-humored glance he bestowed upon them. “So that's it, eh? Well, well, well! You folks certainly are funny. What in the world should cause you embarrassment about wanting to buy my pearls? Of course you want to own them. ”

“ To folks who have quizzed me on this Mallory stuff I’ve insisted that Braden is my name. My baggage is marked with the initials T. M. B. which couldn’t possibly be twisted to stand for Jared Mallory. It certainly isn’t my fault, Jim, if a lot of fool people choose to believe I’m someone I'm not, is it?”
“No. I reckon it ain’t, Tommy. Of course you can’t blame me for thinking it funny—when I heard folks saying that you was Mallory. It looked kind of queer.”
Tommy dropped an affectionate hand on Jim's shoulder. “You can’t help being suspicious of everybody, can you, Jim? ”

“ More than one consulted the clerk after dinner for information as to the identity of the stranger who had now retired to a corner of the lobby and was puffing lightly upon a monogrammed cigarette.
Among those who had particularly noticed Tommy was a couple from the Middle West: a rather wizened gentleman of some fifty-five years and his unduly ample wife. Mr. and Mrs. Edgar H. Morse had, for the past five years, been frantically attempting to create the impression which Mr. Braden was now registering so profoundly. Wealth had come to them in an unexpected flood. ”

“ Ain't often I meet a guy I like to play as much as I do you. Besides, most of the chaps I know can beat me—beat the tar out of me. I'm an awful dub. Say—we got to do this again—a—that is, I hope we got to.”
“We shall,” smiled Tommy. “I’ve enjoyed the morning immensely.”
From the eighteenth green they strolled to the clubhouse where they indulged in long, tall lemonades which appeared to inspire Mr. Morse with no particular enthusiasm. “Got something in my room. C'mon and sample it. That is—a—if you care to.”
Mr. Braden was delighted—far more than he cared to admit. ”

“ Tommy Braden was old enough to appreciate the benefits which accrue to one who treads the path of rectitude, and, by the same token, he had attained to a philosophy which was based upon the theory that there was no transgression provided one is undiscovered. ”

“ Morse had been a ten-thousand-a-year man with an aptitude for saving until a certain wild venture in war babies had catapulted him into the multi-millionaire class; so suddenly, in fact, that neither the excitable little man nor his wife had yet adjusted themselves to their new position in life. Tommy rather liked them; they weren't the offensive type of nouveau riche—there was nothing aggressive or vulgar about either. And Tommy was convinced that he would not be doing them an injury by selling to them the Vanduyn pearls. ”

“ Tommy flushed. He had a disturbing presentiment that there was a menace cloaked beneath Jim's words. “Nothing wrong, if that’s what you mean, Jim.”
“Good boy. It wouldn’t be wise for a guy that's as well fixed as you to take another flyer. Of course I know there's plenty of temptation and all that—but the game ain’t worth the electric flashlight, Son—not by a durn sight.”
Braden was ill-at-ease. “Wish you’d come along with me, Jim. I hate to travel alone.” ”

“ Tommy Braden!” Their hands met in a clasp of sincere cordiality. “It is Braden now, ain't it, Tommy?”
Tommy smiled with rare good-humor. “Surest thing you know, Jim. Thomas Matlock Braden.”
“The whole works, huh? What's it feel like to be masqueradin’ under your right name?”
“Pretty good, Jim; pretty good. I’ve retired on my income.”
“Quit the game?”
“Entirely.”
“That’s fine, Tommy—fine. I'm tickled pink to know it. I always like to see a crook with sense enough to know when he's got plenty. There ain’t nothin’ like honesty, my boy, when you've made all the money you need.” ”

“ The jewel-collector had been humanized by his hobby. ... He opened one of his trunks and a few seconds later returned with a battered leather case of sizeable dimensions. They gathered near him at the table, and then, very slowly and worshipfully, he flung back the lid.
The Vanduyn pearls smiled up at them in pink perfection. Mrs. Morse gasped with delight.
“Oh-oh! How glorious!”
Tommy caught up the rope of gems and ran them caressingly through his fingers. “They are among the most perfect pearls in the world—each one a match for every other one. Each has its history, its romance. ”

“ Morse strolled over to the desk and made inquiry of the clerk.
“Oh! him? That’s Thomas M. Braden.”
His manner indicated that anyone who was anyone would certainly know Mr. Thomas M. Braden. Mr. Morse caught the nuance and uttered an enlightening— “A-a-ah! So it is.”
“He’s a wonderful looking man,” commented Mrs. Morse. “So distinguished.”
They managed to seat themselves near Tommy. He appraised them scientifically. There was no mistaking their new and complete wealth— “Woman—no taste—but nice. Swellest modiste in New York—make me the grandest gown you got. ”

“ Tommy Braden at the wheel of a borrowed sedan. Together they rolled slowly down the Hudson County Boulevard toward Bergen Point. Mr. Donley produced a chamois sack and from it poured forth a stream of pink glory. “Gawd! ain't they beauts?”
Tommy's eyes glittered with the appreciation of a connoisseur. “Very fine, Mickey. A rope of matched pearls ... hmm! I should say they’re worth a hundred thousand dollars.” ”

“ Tommy knew that he was not a good man to have around, and yet he was afraid to protest too fervently that he was now treading the path of rectitude. Yet his curiosity shrieked for appeasement.
“Funny to see you here, Jim.”
“Me? I reckon it is. I’ve been some awful funny places, Tommy.”
“Vacation?”
“Uh-huh. An' I just naturally got sick of lowbrow joints. Besides, a lot of the big boys in your line of work drift by here during the season, and so I thought I’d try this seven-forks-dinner stuff for a while. Guy never gets too old to learn, you know. ”

“ Braden moved away, his last impression of Jim Hanvey was of an abnormally heavy man staring at him through glassy eyes. Against the background of rusty serge he saw a set of fat fingers toying idly with a gleaming gold toothpick. ... “Poor Jim. He's a hound once they give him the scent but he is so anxious to believe that every crook is honest. ...”
In his room again, Braden telephoned the Morses. Edgar Morse answered and made an appointment for three o'clock that afternoon. The pearls were mentioned: Tommy repeated his offer to present them to his friend. ”

“ Mickey was annoyed—chiefly because he was helpless.
“Awright Tommy. Where's the five grand?”
“Where are the pearls, Mickey?”
“They’re cache’d. Didn’t dare bring 'em here. The bulls’ve got me shadowed. It’s a shame the way they hound a poor crook.”
“It is, Mickey; it certainly is. But it proves that you're wise to sell them to me. They don’t care anything for your carcass; they can pick you up any minute they choose. What they’re after is the jewels. Pretty nice reward they're offering, isn't it?”
Mr. Donley shook his bullet head sorrowfully. “Ten thousand berries. Gosh. ... ”

“ Why man! man! I'm complimented.”
Morse was beaming. “Dog-gone if you're not the finest fellow I ever met. You see, pearls like those are something that can’t be bought from a jeweler ... and we both love 'em. We're not strong for diamonds and platinum and stuff like that. Pearls—they’re classy and rich—and all such as that. And of course from the first minute we saw them we got to thinking how swell it would be if Ella could own them ... ”

“ Jim blinked with friendly approval upon the other. “Dog-gone if you don’t look like a million dollars ready money, Son. Silk shirt, trick pants an' everything. Say, what is there to this golf thing that makes sensible men dress funny thataway?”
“Ever played?”
“Naw! Imagine an elephant like me chasin’ a dinky little ball over the meadows.”
“Better men than you have fallen for it.”
“Sure; I know that. But it's my figger, Son. The links wouldn’t stand for it.”
Jim turned and walked with Braden toward the hotel. Tommy was ill-at-ease despite the apparent ease of his manner. ”

“ He says it ain’t so hard if a guy is willing to practice for fifteen or twenty years. Think of me swinging a golf club. I’ll feel like a sap. But anyway I like this bird Morse. Feel like I and he was buddies even though I never met him until late last night.” Jim blinked slowly as he toyed with the gold toothpick which rested against his vest. “He’s interested in joolry, too, Tommy. Me and him had a long talk about pearls and things. ”

“ Braden says he wants to. 'Course I’m not blaming him for kicking. That last putt of mine didn’t have any right going down. I always did believe that putting was too all-fired important in this game. ...”
The fraternity of golf engendered a friendliness which would have been long in developing else. It was decided that they should dine together that night, and about five o’clock in the afternoon Tommy visited the florist shop in the hotel where he ordered a corsage bouquet sent up to Mrs. Morse. “Right here,” he reflected, “is where the old dame gets hooked right. ”

“ Morse nodded and wrote swiftly. He extended to Tommy a check for seventy-five thousand dollars payable to Thomas M. Braden and drawn upon the Loop National Bank of Chicago. “I didn’t mean to give any offense, Braden. Of course you understand what I thought—that is, other folks were saying——”
“Quite all right, Morse; that's perfectly all right. I have really been exceedingly annoyed by this silly idea that Braden is not my name.” He folded the check and slipped it casually in his pocket. “By the way, are we golfing in the morning? I was hitting them mighty cleanly in practice to-day.” ”

“ They were not crude persons but they did lack the background which is essential to true culture and, as earnestly as they had struggled for financial success during years which were rather more lean than fat, so they set about adjusting themselves to the social demands of their miraculously acquired millions. ”

“ He just about gives me the bum's rush gettin’ that pasteboard which he tears up right away. Then he slips me this one—Mr. Thomas Matlock Braden—I don’t see nothing to get excited about just because he slips me the wrong pasteboard, d'you? What difference does it make to me if his name's Thomas Braden or Jared Mallory or what it is. I reckon neither of them handles is gonna start no war—Say! Gus—for the love of Mike, what’s eatin' you? If you feel like that you'd ought to see a Doc.”
The ninth assistant manager put out a delicately restraining hand. “Jared Mallory?” he said half to himself. ”

“ She glanced at the card. “Mallory. That's what the card here says, an’——”
He snatched it brusquely from her hand. “Wrong card,” he snapped making an effort to appear as though he were making an effort to appear unembarrassed. “Here's my card. You may charge it to Suite F.”
He whirled and moved away, his manner denoting extreme irritation. The rather fullblown young lady stared after him. “Now ain’t he the pussy's ankle?” she murmured reflectively. “Gets sore because he slips me the wrong card. That ain't nothin’ to get peeved about.” An assistant manager drifted toward her counter. ”

“ And yet— He gave ear to the even monotone of the detective.
“And say, Tommy; next time we meet I’ll take you on in a golf match. I’m getting my first lesson this afternoon. I run across a swell feller last night. Guy named Morse: Edgar H. Morse. Know him?”
Tommy stared. He moistened dry lips with his tongue. “Go ahead, Jim.” ”