However, on a closer examination, these two did not
seem particularly formidable. They were both quite young, one with
dark-red hair and a somewhat overbright eye; the other was hardly more
than a boy, very slender, delicately made, the sort of handsome young
scoundrel whom women cannot resist.
Having made these observations, McGuire ventured to lower his arms by
jerks; nothing happened; he was safe. So he vented his feelings by
scowling on the strangers.
"Well," he snapped, "what's up? Too late for business. I'm closin'
up."
The two quite disregarded him. Their eyes were wandering calmly about
the place, and now they rested on the pride of McGuire's store. The
figure of a man in evening clothes, complete from shoes to gloves and
silk hat, stood beside a girl of wax loveliness. She wore a low-cut
gown of dark green, and over her shoulders was draped a scarf of dull
gold. Above, a sign said: "You only get married once; why don't you do
it up right?"
"That," said the taller stranger, "ought to do very nicely for us,
eh?"
And the younger replied in a curiously light, pleasant voice: "Just
what we want.
Pages:
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167