All Story Magazine, December 1913 — page 106: what you’re looking at

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

816 “Is this Cam—MacGregor’s place?” “It is. What ya want?” “T’m Mason. I have an appoint- ment—” “T guess not. Try the door up- stairs.” “Don’t be an idiot! Is MacGreg- or here yet?” Heavy feet were coming along the hall and a woman's strident voice called : “What's the trouble, Billy? ” “There’s a party here—” A mass of straw-colored hair and the ample proportions of Rosie Paler pounded into view. “Gee! Blondy!”’ Then in a moment my hopes raced to the skies and I knew that I was first in the race for Rollins’s life. As | hurriedly stepped inside she whispered : “It’s all right, Billy. Beat it.” Billy mumbled to himself and reluc- tantly departed. Rosie grabbed my arm and led me along the hall and past the dining-room, but not before I caught a glimpse of a table with a snowy-white cloth, much silver and glassware, and flowers as if for a feast. “Where vou been?” Rosie whis- pered. “‘It’s fifteen after ten.” Ts hee? “Sure it is. If it weren’ that Miss Mac wuz late, too, you'd be in Dutch. An’ what'd ye come in the basement way for? You ain't groceries. Beat it—here's the stairs.” Gently but firmly she pushed ime ahead, and I climbed the narrow flight, wondering what new insanity Camp- bell was practising. Reaching the top I looked round the baluster and along the fully lighted hall to the front door. There wasn't a soul in sight, but some one with a deep voice was talking in the parlor. “ He’s in there, isn’t he? ” “Sure. Go right in. He'll be glad to see ya.” Then, looking into my bruised face in the better light: “ Gee! What a shiner!” THE ALE-ST ORY, MAGAZINE. Clapping her hands over her mouth to smother her laughter, she thrust me toward the parlor portieres with the other. I threw the hangings aside, took one step into the room, and— Alice Van Huysen was Campbell was not. there ; He of the sonorous voice was a clergyman! My good eye blinked. The other could not because it was¢almost closed. Alice started to her feet, but the min- ister regarded me with careful disap- proval. Outside [ heard Rosie Paler ma- king great haste toward the stairs, laughing; and as she went up another flight, two or’three steps at a time, | had a suspicion regarding the where- abouts of Campbell. Somehow or other I could not say anything or think for a minute or so. I must have looked stupid and wild. I know I felt much worse than that. “What's wrong?” Alice cried. “You look as if—as if—well, can’t you see how you look?” Since I was facing the mantel mir- ror I could see quite plainly, and the sight was not a pretty one. My left eye, as I have said, was al- most closed — puffed up and greenish blue. My mustache was scattered to the four winds of heaven, and my hat, because of the throbbing lump at the back of my head, was tilted sidewise, giving me a truly giddy appearance. I removed it, conscious for the first time of my wretched manners, and discovered that my hair was disrepu- tably tousled. Both Alice and the minister studied me queerly in silence; the former threatening to smile, the latter with a measure of embarrassment. I opened my mouth to say something apologetic, heard a footstep on the stairs, and wheeled without a word and went back into the hall. Ere I had gone three steps I halted as if some one had caught my coat- tail and pulled me back on my heels. comicloooks.com