All-Story Weekly, March 1, 1919 — page 178: what you’re looking at

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

- - “— a re — — - Sa = aw ai = ath rN ed oe = - ay aA =3 = a — — aoe ee Tue ——- “Well,” jnsisked Spike, ‘it’s worth try- ing. ”? “Yes,” agreed One-Shot. him. Tl be glad to have this damned red handkerchief off my neck—pardon, ladies.” “Tl go and tell him,” said Frothing- ham. ‘It’s one chance in a hundred, but - it may work. He has got us for sure, if he wants to make trouble.” ~“T have a better plan fhan_that,” sug- gested Josephine. ‘‘ Let Millicent fall in love with him, and let him fall in love with Millicent. After that, he would make no - ___ trouble, I am sure.” _ ~ “Never!” thundered Frothingham. “I have taken my stand on the question. It’s not ethical. teurish dénouement, and I’ll not stand for it. I thought we had all agreed on that.” “It’s impossible,” said Spike. “I'd rather stand a lawsuit than to have my ideals shattered in that way.” “Very well,” said Josephine significant- ly. “I’ve done my best to set you right.” “Why not try this?” suggested little Mrs. Frothingham. ‘ Leave the way open for him to escape. Don’t say anything to him about the ransom. Let Mr. Jordan, One-Shot, as you call him, go to sleep on guard to-night right in the middle of the lawn, where the prisoner can see him, Have Jean, the valet, disappear. Leave the front gate wide open, and, lastly, have Spike go to sleep in the hall while on guard and snore so loudly that the prisoner can hear him. The way will then be open to him, and it will be easy for him to lower himself to the ground and escape.”’ “ The very idea,” said Frothingham en- thusiastically. ‘“‘ Mother, you’re a wonder.” “My part of it will not be difficult,” said - Jordan. “Nor mine,” echoed Spike Pendleton. And so it was agreed. In the garden there was another con- flict—a conflict in the heart of Millicent _ Jeffries, the unconscious cause of all this tumult. She had taken more than a pass- ing interest in the handsome young pris- E oner. : = 2 For two days she had debated the ad- 7 aa) of telling him the truth. ge = Ras ee oP Fee is “a. " ALL-STORY WEEKLY. — ** Let’s chase It would be a cheap, ama-- Saw ~S — oe Se te nas - “ ~ + — & They were ‘wandering among the flower- 3 beds at the very moment the important conference was taking place in the house. Jean, sitting on the stone wall, overheard much of the conversation. He was not an eavesdropper, but they seemed oblivious to his presence. He stood it as long as he could, and then quietly fell backward off the wall, into a large bush, leaving the garden prison un-— patrolled. ‘There is something I have on my mind, Nell,” said Jerome, taking her hand and looking into her eyes. Millicent turned away, and, ooking over toward the house, said: “My name is not Nell. I shocld have told you before. My name is Millicent. I am a playwright. Missouri Dave is not my father. He is also a playwright. Now you have the truth. I suppose you will have small regard for me.” “It’s fifty-fifty,”” replied Jerome cheer- fully. “My name is not Winfield.” “ So you have said before,” replied Milli- cent. “I have thought all along that you were denying your see to shield your father.” “My name is Jerome Winters,” said Je- rome. “ That’s my little name. My home is in Denver, and I am a mining engineer. Do you believe me?” “Yes, of course,” said Millicent as she gazed steadily into his eyes. At this point Jean fell off the wall. He was too full of information. safely in the bush, outside the wall, and hurried around to the house, where he ar- rived out of breath, but not out of news. “He has told his real name, and it’s on the level, too,” declared Jean. “He is not Winfield, that’s a cinch. Somebody has pulled an awful bone.” “Old stuff,” grunted Spike. and guard the wall.” Jean was glad to get away. He was not fond of funerals, and the conclave as- sembled was not unlike one. : Reaching his old post on the wall and rescuing his pistol, Jean saw Jerome and Millicent in deep conversation, but they were moving slowly away. They had not even noticed his absence. “ Go back = an. a ~~ <a, — 5. He landed . “com euee ks.com