All Story Magazine, December 1913 — page 108: what you’re looking at

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

818 stopped, colored, and backed away, probably remembering that my wife was about. Wife! I could scarcely believe it, not even when Campbell's hand came out of the mist and seized mine. He looked me in the eye, smiled, and growled from the depths of him: “Take good care of her. you are both worth it.” Then, as Alice offered her congratu- lations, Campbell wrote a check for the minister, who, looking askance at me, blessed the whole shooting match and said he was sorry he could not wait. The women departed up-stairs shortly after he had gone, and hardly had the hangings fallen behind them ere Camp- bell wheeled with amazing rapidity toward the sliding doors that shut out the back parlor. In an instant they were thrown back. I stared, wide-eyed, past Campbell's arin, motionless, gasping for breath. Then I laughed. I could not help it. One gas-jet burned low, and seated directly under it were three men. Crabbe was one, Paler the other. Their. solitary eyes gleamed upon the third, and in their right hands each carried a glistening weapon. In the center was Rollins—gray with fear and shivering—in kilts! He was in full Highland costume, even to the cairngorm-hilfed dirk in his sock. <A silver-mounted cairngorm thistle-brooch held his flowing plaid in place, and a glengarry was perched at an approved angle upon his head. The glaring yellow and red of the alien tartan seemed to spread all over him; everywhere but over the naked whiteness of his knees, which knocked together in his terror. I never saw a man more ludicrous or so unhappy. He was a study in misery. Paler and Crabbe did not smile. ‘Their expressions were deadly unemo- tional. ; “Our friend is now a full-fledged clansman,”” Campbell advised non- chalantly, gripping the edge of the IT think THE ALL-STORY MAGAZINE. sliding doors in an idle fashion. ‘“ He is armed to the teeth and‘ready to kill. That's what the red in the tartan means. The yellow speaks for itself, and suggests why we prefer his room to his company. “When we are ready his guardians shall lead him to the front door, which they shall open for him. He will then be at perfect liberty to pass out, de- scend the steps, and enter a waiting taxi.” Rollins squirmed and found courage to glare at me. His tormentors were not in the least moved, one way or an- other. Their calm was terrible. ‘‘T believe there are some friends of his somewhere outside,’’ Campbell re- sumed. ‘I can’t just say where they are, but Mr. Parks was at the corner as I came in. If our clansman cares to walk that far in his present costume to solicit aid against us, we will be agreeably surprised, as it will prove that he has more courage than we be- lieved. Then again, as he descends the steps, he may be recognized. If he is, we shall submit without a struggle.” Rollins appeared to understand per- fectly. He did not attempt to speak or to object in any way. ‘That sort of thing had been entirely knocked out of him. All he appeared to care about was to get into more comfortable rai- ment. With an eye upon him and another upon the portiéred entrance of the par- lor, and listening for the ring upon the door-bell that would herald Beans’s arrival, I heard Campbell continue in the same easy strain: “He has our advice upon his move- ments and actions when he leaves here, and I would like to add that the man who is looking for Smith knows who Smith is, and is coming here presently to look for him.”’ Rollins started an inch or two out of his chair, and his cheeks grew gray. He sagged back again and cowered into the folds of his plaid. “Since silence is generally conceded comicloooks.com