A thin
spiral of smoke rose like incense to the ceiling from her lips. The
slow, regular rise and fall of her breathing beneath the filmy lace
of her gown accented the perfect fullness of bust and throat.
Dustin helped himself to a cigarette and made himself comfortable.
She set herself to win him. He was immensely flattered at her awakened
interest. When she called him by his first name, he wagged all over like
a pleased puppy.
It came to him after a time that she was considering him for a
confidential mission. He assured her eagerly that there was no trouble
too great for him to take if he could be of any service to her. She
hesitated and doubted and at last as a special favor to him accepted his
offer. Their heads were close in whispered talk for a few minutes, at
the end of which Dustin left the room with his chin in the air. He was
a knight errant in the employ of the most attractive woman north of
fifty-three.
When Elliot took the down-river boat he found Oliver Dustin was a fellow
passenger. The little man smoked an occasional cigar with the land agent
and aired his views on politics and affairs social. He left the boat at
the big bend. Without giving him much of his thought Gordon was a little
surprised that the voluble remittance man had not told him where he was
going.
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