The Argosy, March 27, 1920 — page 17: what you’re looking at

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

SEVEN MINUTES AFTER, ° letter you received. But there is one thing different, Tony, the thing that makes me feel it is real. On the back page there are seven names penciled, and yours and Mine are among them, I think that’s the list the poor fellow used. You see, he wrote to Van Haven, Winter Smith, Bellamy, Tom Pedley, and to us. ‘““T thought at first the thing was a plant, to get us to the clock, and— Oh, what’s the use of talking about it?” he broke off abruptly, “ it isn’t any real help. But with these others in on it—you and I chosen be- cause we know the Shepherd country— though if you didn’t you’d belong in that list simply because you’re a multimillionaire; and the others because they are interna- tional names of importance—why, that doesn’t seem possible. Besides, the letter rings true. No one could be quite as in- genuous as that merely by trying! Tony, I wonder if you know how sick at heart I should have been if you hadn’t come to keep that appointment!” Tony laughed. ‘The only reason I mightn’t would have been because I was out of town and hadn’t received the let- ter,” he said. ‘‘ Even as a kid I was a soft- hearted sort of sucker, I guess; deat old dad always felt it was against me, I know.” “I knew you were in town, though, be- cause Robin saw you. We were driving up from the station yesterday when you slid by in that blue devil of yours. Robin called to you, but you had gone like a puff of smoke. We tried to get you on the phone later, but they didn’t know when you would be in, at the club. I left a mes- sage for you to call the Primalto, but didn’t give my name; I wanted to surprise you.” “You did that, all right.” Laughter broke out afresh; they tramped the long room together for a moment in a paroxysm of mirth, just as they had so often done in the past. But then it had been David who steadied first, now it was Tony, “T wonder,” he said quietly, “ what has become of that poor chap? Why didn’t he get to the rendezvous? Do you think the gang he speaks of stopped him, or the police? And why didn’t somebody else make an attempt to help him out? Take 167 Pedley, now, he’s just the sort to take up a matter like that; why wasn’t he in on it? He’s in town.” “He probably wouldn’t get the letter until to-day, at the earliest. It would go through his secretary’s hands; you know how long it is before requests fot money reach the eyes of a great financier, The slush has all to be weeded out first; that is what a secretary’s for, isn’t it?” With a mutual comptehension of the overburdened life of the very rich, they smiled at each other. Then Tony stopped suddenly and caught up the telephone, “Say,” he said, “I have an idea; let’s phone the other six and get them after this thing. We shall at least have their ideas on the mystery.” With his hand on the receiver, he stopped. Voices were heard in the hall. With a gesture of resignation he whispered a name. “Lord, it’s Araminta!”’ he said, David gave one despairing glance around, but the way of escape was closed. The last thing he wanted to do at this mo- ment was to meet an unknown woman. Foo Chah was heard explaining that Mr. Fane was engaged; and in return a wo- man’s voice, a rather high, metallic, but withal languidly sweet voice—made the as- sertion that Mr. Fane was never too much engaged to see her; he had said so. Foo Chah’s expostulations were useless, As* the door opened David. made one swoop for the letters.on the table, turned his back on the imeoming visitors, and placed them safely in his pocket. Why he did so, he had no idea, For in another moment he turned to face the most ra- diantly beautiful woman he had ever seen, while Foo Chah announced decorously in his high, sing-song voice: ‘“Missee Alaminta Lellerby,”’ CHAPTER III. + THE “ STUPID” MISS LETHERBY. % HICH means,” said the radiant vision to whom Tony had just presented him: “ Araminta Letherby, You don’t re- member me, Mr. Cortland, I can see; have Conniclookxs.conn