Page:Arthur Stringer - The Door of Dread.djvu/177

 gallantry, pointedly watched the deft-fingered waiter as the latter meagerly broke off two of the buds which drooped loosely over the edge of the vase. Sadie then knew not only that Andelman was the man, but that the waiter called Alphonse stood not altogether ignorant of the situation. The fact that he had chosen two buds which in no way served to screen the center of the vase, and the further fact that he had broken these off short rather than withdraw their stems from the tangled company of their fellows, confirmed his position as an accomplice of the Washington official who, for some unknown reason, was working against the interests of her chief.

"Yuh may be long on taste," she calmly announced, as she took the two buds from the waiter's fingers, "but yuh're suttinly short on stems!"

"Is madame not pleased?" asked the waiter. There was almost a challenge in his inquiry. It was Andelman himself who spoke up sharply.

"Alphonse, bring the oysters! And also, if you please, a violet-pin for the lady!"

Kestner's indolent eye followed the waiter's figure as he departed. Then the secret agent turned back to his host.