Adventure, February 20, 1922 — page 101: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The White Dawn “Escaped?” she whispered, glaring about. “How can you know that?” “You don’t seem to rejoice over the good news.’ “Because I don’t believe it. I love my mistress dearly. You must let me go now.” ‘ “Why?” “Because you claim to be gentle born. Because I can’t go out dressed like this again. If my mistress is coming I will wait for her here. Open the door, please.” Her disguise was dangerous. I stood back and insisted: ‘But you must promise to show no light until you get to your room and have drawn the shades close. Also you must return here. There’s something queer about this. _’ I want the truth.” She lifted her head and stared at me curiously, her red lips twisting and a sug- gestion of a suppressed smile in the brown eyes so recently filled with tears. She had lost her hat in our scuffle at the back door and the brown locks were much dis- heveled and showed glints of copper in the candle-light. “Something queer about my wanting to join my mistress? There are queerer things than that, Mr. Ambrose = Kerry.” “Aye! As to what?” “Why, namely that another Ambrose Kerry should have reached New York not more than thirty minutes before I entered this house.” g@iv= L WAS nonplused, but not alarmed. Sim hen I began laughing; her attempt to frighten me was too ridiculous. “You young simpleton, why do you speak such arrant nonsense? There is but one Ambrose Kerry. I am he. What do you take me for?” “For an impostor!” she shrilly denounced. “What you are and what your purposes may be I don’t know. But you-are not Ambrose Kerry, of Norfolk, Virginia.”’ “Are you crazy?” JI sternly demanded. “Are you trying to throw dust over your own actions? Go to the town major and . — tell your silly story. See if he is impressed. And they do put women in prison, Be know.” “And they do hang impostors,”’ she in- stantly rejoined, but speaking more quietly. “You impudent little baggage! If it wasn’t for the mob getting you I’d put you outdoors just as you are.” 9 — . a. —— ae ~ >" 7 ’ = =e - - : — 3 - - < -) — ee ts s - C< i ; £ = ss ee - a, ee ee ae —, ~ ny a " ji —* - be — * ~— — ~ a «De < ain a ‘ ill ligt ath ~ s a " . fe. ae x . pS = wre ee ; a es ee > Pte =< ee aoe ote _.,. “a “Ambrose Kerry has just reached New York,” she doggedly persisted. There was no shaking her. I tried another tack. Peers “Magnificent! I suppose you told him of the impostor in this house. It’s queer : he hasn’t hastened here to show me up.” “He did not see me. I did not wish him to see me. He may come any moment. You had best leave at once.” === “Tut, tut. A moment ago you were say- Ze ing they hung impostors.” “T say it again. You are not Ambrose Kerry. I have tried to remember who you — remind me of—I can’t do it.” “And when did you know I wasn’t the | genuine Kerry?” I mockingly asked, but with no heart in the game I was trying to ee play.” Bea “The first time I saw you in this bane ee ‘“‘As positive then as you are now?” I knew how she would answer before ‘she spoke. = “Yes. Old Socrate? knows it too. f eC didn’t tell him; but he knows it.”’ “Then headquarters must know it.” She shook her head slowly. “T don’t think so. That is, headquarters — didn’t know it up to a short time ago. If _ Kerry has had time to reach there they now know two men claim the name with - eee the weight of their suspicion against you.’ We both waste precious time. 5 ge I retire to my room?” pecs “T am Ambrose Kerry,” I insisted. “Yes; Ok go, but show no light. Remember I am- == Ambrose Kerry.” AP ss She halted in the doorway and studied ; me intently, and said: Se “The time will soon come when I shall — ag tell you who you are. D’ve almost had it en since I entered this room.’ or EG a “You are hopeless.”’ Se = She ran up the hall without making any reply. | = I went to the back door and stood outside = and listened for Bucks’ soft step. Now the horrid fear possessed me that the poor fellow had been caught, and the greater = fear that no word of my discovery would get through to General Washington in time to serve his purpose. Suddenly I realized it was most important the girl should be Ss clear of the house before the rifleman came, satay for she would recognize him instantly, and = through him identify me. And it would be no Canvas Town mob I would find at | Ss my heels. IR iy 4 NAN