All Story Magazine, December 1913 — page 95: what you’re looking at

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

_ <A THIEVES’ COMEDY. “There’s your party,’ a sharp, feminine voice answered, and a small, carefully modulated one asked in- stantly : “ Hello! Mr. Campbell’s apart- ment?” “Who is speaking, please?” “Margaret. ‘This is Mr. Mason, isn’t 162”? “Good morning. know I was here?” “Saw you and Mr. Campbell go up. I’m only half a dozen doors away. I saw Mr. Campbell go out, so I thought perhaps you’d come up and let me apologize properly. ‘There's nothing to be afraid of. Papa's gone out of town. You know the number?” “ Of course, but—” “Then it shouldn't be very difficult. Good-by.” And she was gone, leaving me in a most unpleasant quandary. If I did not accept her invitation she would very likely be displeased. I[f I did I should disobey Campbell’s orders. I think that settled it; that and a desire to be assured that she was not badly hurt. Her voice did not sound as if she had been, but the evidence wasn't altogether satisfactory, and Campbell's attitude of proprietorship over her rankled. There was little or after that, When I got down into the street, had looked carefully around, and could find no trace of anything that looked like a detective, I could see no danger in delaying my trip up-town fifteen minutes or so. There was a policeman at the corner, but he paid no attention to me as I passed, and I reached the Rollins apartment without any bother. Of course. I was a little dubious about encountering Margaret’s maid; but since she had never seen me, she was not likely to know that it had been I to whom she had spoken on the tele- phone. A Jap butler took me for granted and showed me into the drawing-room. How did you no hesitation 805 There was no one there and not an- other servant in sight, so I made my- self comfortable in a very roomy chair which made me sit with my back to some hangings that blotted out another roon.. Gluing my attention upon the door, I waited possibly half a minute, and then a soft hand from behind my chair went over my eyes and another over . my mouth, choking off an exclamation «of surprise. “S-h!” I felt a thrill go through me that raced down to my boots, and, reach- ing up, I caught both hands and pulled their owner into view. She made me gasp. Her cheeks were not even a little pale, and there wasn't the slightest evidence of a wound. Leaning away from me, crimson-cheeked and laugh- ing, she looked stunning in the pinkish silk thing she wore, and there was something of the taxicab mood in her face; that attitude which declared she wasn't a bit afraid of me when she got me alone. “I want to apologize for not keep- ing this morning’s engagement,” she said. ‘Mr. Campbell thought we’d better postpone it for a day or so.” “Oh! That was it? And you put me off simply to please Campbell? ”’ 1 didimtl “Seems very much like it,” I per- sisted deliberately, remembering with a twinge what Campbell had said. She studied me queerly for a little while, as if she were trying to under- stand exactly what I meant. “Does it matter?” she asked, and her eyes grew softer than I had ever seen them. “Well, isn’t it usual to consult the man you are going to marry first?” Yes —I suppose it is. But Mr. Campbell thought—” I relinquished her hands and she stopped abruptly, looking very much surprised; but she did not move away, and J, scrutinizing the pattern of the carpet, said: ve comicloooks.com