Very calmly and quietly, then, Polly raised the last bid.
Everyone turned to glance at the unexpected contestant, and the amazement expressed on many faces, as well as on that of the auctioneer because of the girl’s youth amused Polly’s friends. The auctioneer asked: “Did the young lady make a bid?”
Polly noded affirmatively. But the man who was bidding thought to cut her out by raising his bid considerably higher. The salesman turned then to Polly to see if she still wished to bid.
“Double his bid!” called out Polly.
Again there was surprise shown by others, and the man who thought he had frightened off his youthful opponent, frowned.
When the auctioneer smilingly looked to the collector to increase his bid, the man carefully raised it a small sum. Polly now knew he was wary of spending his money, so she took advantage of the cue to call out a figure that was startlingly higher than the collector’s; so that he instantly shook his head in refusal of any further bidding or interest in the chair.
“What! no higher bid from you when you want this chair?” coaxed the auctioneer.
Again the man frowned and shook his head positively, but he did this hoping Polly would weaken, and then he would come back and mention a slight increase on her price.
The auctioneer thinking his negative signal was final, turned to Polly and said: “It’s yours, Miss. And allow me to congratulate you, not alone on having acquired the finest bit in this entire lot, but also on being a very clever and experienced buyer.”
The moment the collector realized that the auctioneer had knocked down the chair to his adversary without again consulting him, he protested. “I claim that chair!” cried he.