All Story Magazine, December 1913 — page 31: what you’re looking at

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

A THIEVES’ ‘““We-—I mean—I knew you were coming over to see if—if I were—nice enough — to marry, and when I saw what a vast improvement you were upon Ralph I thought perhaps—well— you're to be here such a short time and and I was afraid—” She stopped and put it another way: “Do you think I’m marriageable? ” That was pointblank enough. I was becoming rather chary, too, about meeting her eyes, and I hadn't the courage to tell her that her information about the length and the purpose of my visit to America was all wrong. “Yes—I must confess you are — marriageable,”’ I admitted honestly enough. ‘“ But — er— that is — does Cousin Alice know about all this?” “She knows my intentions, but she doesn’t approve of my _ methods. They're all my own, and I'm not go- ing to make any apologies for them. Can't you see how desperate I am?” “Yes, a little. But you don’t know anything about me. You may just get out of the frying-pan into the fire. I may have a beastly temper—”’ “Can’t be any worse than papa’s,” she interrupted with conviction. “And I wouldn't be afraid of you.” “No, I don’t think you would. But you might get awfully tired of seeing me about the place and—” ‘Not nearly so tired as I am of Ralph already, and we’re not married yet. Please don’t make excuses. You couldn't make me half so miserable as I am now if you tried ever so hard— and—and— Would it be so awfully difficult to—like me? ”’ I cleared my throat and looked out of the taxi window. We were still on the drive. “ Does his nibs know where to go?” I asked, turning to face the music again. ““Ves—he knows, and we're not nearly there yet. I believe you want to run away. Do you?” “ No—no—nothing of the sort,” I protested. ‘‘I’m enjoying myself im- mensely. You said that after I had COMEDY. 741 proposed and you had accepted me we could talk business. Hadn't we better talk business first? I mean—my busi- ness. ‘It is quite proper, you know, in ar- rangements of this sort, for the penni- less earl to declare just how penniless he is, and I’m afraid I couldn’t afford to support a wife. You'd be tied for life to a chap whose earning power per week would probably be less than this taxi will cost.” A queer smile parted her lips. She looked beyond me and her immediate surroundings, and seemed to contem- plate something that gave her an un- holy joy. ““Yes—and papa would be terribly angry, too, if I married you. I think that’s why—I want to.” That made me gasp and stare, and -before I had time to draw breath she asked simply: “ Did you ever hear of—Bob Dol- liver?” = “ Wh-what—” I stopped and re- garded her for fully a minute in the blankest sort of amazement. But she was looking dreamily out of the cab- window, not paying the slightest at- tention to me. . “Never mind how I know,” she went on, still looking past me. ‘‘ He ran off with Lady Alice Didderington and very little more than this taxi will cost. He was only a lodgekeeper’s son. You are an earl — educated at Eton and Cambridge—I know because I looked you up—and I'll have a quar- ter of a million of my own—” “Which doesn’t interest me,” I in- terrupted, probably more sharply than I intended. “ Won't you tell me how you came to know anything about Lady—” “ING, — but one. that yet.” I laughed in spite of my chagrin. “Well, the point is, I can’t support a wife, and I haven't the least inten- tion of having a wife support me. I came over here—and I might as well comichooks.com Can’t answer any questions And you haven’t asked