She was not an agent; she
had nothing to sell; she didn't want a position; she didn't ask for a
subscription to anything. And what do you suppose was on that card?"
"Well, what was on the card, for the love of Mike?" snapped Smith. "I'll
tell you. The card seemed to be an ordinary visiting card; but down in
one corner was a tiny and beautifully drawn picture of a green mouse."
"A--what?"
"A mouse."
"G-green?"
"Pea green.... Come, now, Smith, if you were just leaving your office and
your clerk should come in, looking rather puzzled and silly, and should
hand you a card with nothing on it but a little green mouse, wouldn't it
give you pause?"
"I suppose so."
Brown removed his straw hat, touched his handsome head with his
handkerchief, and continued:
"I said to Snuyder: 'What the mischief is this?' He said: 'It's for you.
And there's an exceedingly pretty girl outside who expects you to receive
her for a few moments.' I said: 'But what has this card with a green
mouse on it got to do with that girl or with me?' Snuyder said he didn't
know and that I'd better ask her. So I looked at my watch and I thought
of you----"
"Yes, you did."
"I tell you I did. Then I looked at the card with the green mouse on
it.... And I want to ask you frankly, Smith, what would _you_ have done?"
"Oh, what you did, I suppose," replied Smith, wearily.
Pages:
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80