JOHN MARVEL, ASSISTANT
deed, W&Iffert had said that there were many
Mrs. Argands in the city, and there were many
Argands in the directory.
  I presented my letter anld was invited to call on
a certain day, some two weeks later. She lived
in great style, in a ponderous mansion of unhewn
stone piled up with prison-like massiveness, sur-
rounded by extensive grounds, filled with care-
fully tended, formal flower-beds. A ponderous
servant asked my name and, with eyes on vacancy,
announced me loudly as "MA11r. Glave." The
hostess was well surrounded by callers. I recog-
nized her the instant I entered as the large lady of
the private-car. Both she and her jewels were
the same. Also I knew instantly that she was
the "Argand Estate," which I had scored so, and
I was grateful to the servant for miscalling my
name.   Her sumptuous drawing-rooms were
sprinkled with a handsomely dressed company
who sailed in, smiled around, sat on the edge of
chairs, chattered for some moments, grew pen-
sive, uttered a few sentences, spread their wings,
and sailed out with monotonous regularity and
the solemn air of a duty performed. There was
no conversation with the hostess-only, as I ob-
served from my coign of vantage, an exchange of
compliments and flattery.
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