All Story Magazine, December 1913 — page 61: what you’re looking at

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

A THIEVES’ As I moved toward the door it was” pushed open and the head and shoul- ders of a policeman appeared. I stopped short and felt a chilly numb- ness seize me. . “Say, Jimmie, that clock you got’s on the blink! It’s dropped four min- utes since yes’day.” “Tell it to the telegraph company,” Jimmie retorted easily. ‘‘ How’s the lady?” * Gettin’ on fine. ‘That doctor’s all right. The wife ain't scared o’ him, neither. She asted me to say as she was grateful to Mack for sendin’ him up. Where is Mack? 1 ain't seen him in a mont’ o° Sundays.” ‘He gets round every day for an hour or two,’ Jimmie answered. “He'll be glad to hear about your wife. Don't block up the doorway.” “ Txcuse me,’ gized, opening the door wider for me to pass out. “S'‘long, Jimmie! T'll tell the blonde at the soda fountain you was askin’ for her.” Jimmie encouraged the officer to do so, and I made my exit in the latter's wake, trying to appreciate all the orig- inality mn the idea of a thief playing ‘fence’ to himself. I was not at all clear upon the efficacy or profit-real- izing power of the arrangement, but contented myself with the conclusions that, doubtless, Campbell knew what he was about. I looked around for Della. She had gone. That evening found me at the Van Huysens’s; we were a smaller party than before. Campbell was not there; he was understood to be out of town, and Rollins, with the weight of pater- nal cares upon his tongue, intimated that Margaret was “not at all well,” and that it would probably be several days before she could venture out with safety. I glanced across at Alice as he spoke, and found her studiously looking the other way; later, I think she proposed some music simply because it took her * the policeman apolo- | a COMEDY. T71 out of the drawing-room. Because I thought so I deliberately took my stand beside the piano, turning the music for her and evidently surprising her by performing the duty at the right time. *You know music, Mr.—Mason? ” she asked, gathering courage while she searched for a second piece. ‘Enough to know the notes go up and down,” I answered, squinting through the parted portieres into the drawing-room, where my hostess, Rol- lins, and Ralph were engaged in an apparently earnést conversation. “ Mr. Campbell plays and sings rather well, don't you think?” “ T suppose so.” Very dryly, as if she were too little interested in the gentleman to bother about anything he did. “We have heard him so often, I’m afraid we've neglected to appreciate his talents. You are enjoying your visit, [ hope?” * Very much, thanks. been very interesting.” Her face was turned away, but, in pretense of looking more closely at the piece of music she had selected, I leaned a little nearer to her. ‘Do you mind telling me if you, know anything of your butler’s ante- cedents ?”’ Her head came round quickly at the question. “Why do you ask? ‘“ Because I’ve seen him before some- where, and I'm afraid he has a better memory than I have.” Contrary to my expectations, Alice showed no trace of alarm. She simply smiled. “That might be awkward,’ she said, and placed the second offering on the music-rest. “ But there isn’t much danger. Randor is a friend of mine.” “Her fingers ran lightly over the keys. “Randor?” I sounds familiar.” * Does it? You used to play cricket quite a lot, didn’t you?” * Cricket ? Jove! So far it has repeated. ‘‘ That Just a second. comicloooks.com