Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 133: what you’re looking at

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- THE DANCE wait for him in your office for a minute or two.” “To be sure. Thank you,” said Silvers. And he went in with a nod and sank into his big chair before his desk. He was mild- ly surprised to find Katherine not there, but not in the least alarmed. A moment later Charlie arrived, to be told by Fielding, outside, that Mr. Carpen- ter wanted to see him, and he was to be good enough to wait inside with Mr. Sil- vers. So Charlie likewise walked in. “ Hello? Anything wrong?” asked Sil- vers as Charlie appeared. “ Not that I know of,” answered Charlie. “Mr. Carpenter sent for me to come here! Said he wanted a word with me!” “With you? That’s funny! What for?” asked Silvers. “Your guess is as good as mine,” said Charlie, shrugging. They looked at each other. “Do you know anything about this Da Costa affair that you haven’t told us?” asked Silvers. “No, of course not!” protested Charlie. “Well,” said Silvers, “ he’s taking his time about coming—and meanwhile there’s no one out there in charge of the floor.” “That’s right,” said Charlie, frowning. He crossed to open the door again and have a look about. It would not open. “ Locked!” cried Charlie, startled. With an exclamation of rage and disgust, Silvers was out of his chair and at the door, pulling and shaking violently at the knob. “ Hell!” he roared; “and we walked into the trap like a couple of half wits! They’ve locked us in and beat it with the girl!” And he began to kick the door with might and main. ———E CHAPTER XXXV, FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE. UT long before Silvers’s kicks sounded upon his office door, Fielding had re- joined Garry and Katherine and Joan near the mirror, and they had opened the door and passed out. It was clear, and the stars were shining. OF DEATH. 6035 A soft wind blew very fresh and sweet upo their hot faces. | “Don’t trip,” cautioned Garry, as they started down the narrow iron stairs; “ but make the best time you can. We'll not really be safe from pursuit until we set off in a taxi down below!” “ Right!” murmured Fielding. ‘“ They’ll probably raise an awful howl when they find themselves locked in. But it ‘ll prob- ably take a little time to find a key—or break down the door. Fortunately, I had the presence of mind to bring away the key I used. I mean to present it to the bride as a wedding gift.” They were all laughing a little from the excitement and romance of the adventure as they reached the street and hailed a cab. ‘“ Where to?” asked the chauffeur as they piled hurriedly in. ‘“Let’s go to my place,” said Joan, with a significant glance at the others, and then gave her address in a loud voice. ‘‘ That,” she explained, as they started, ‘“‘ was to throw any possible pursuers off the trail.” So presently, when they were under way, Fielding put his head out and changed the directions. “This minister married some friends of mine in a hurry once before,” said Joan. ‘“So I know he won’t raise any objections. Of course, according to law, you have to be a resident of New Jersey, but if you just say you are, he won’t make any trouble about it, and the marriage will be just as legal. I know, because this friend of mine that he married was a New York girl, too. She was in the Follies. Aleta Lesaire! Married a Yale fellow named Kelsey. Maybe you remember the case. They only lived together seven hours and his family made her give him up.” ‘* Made her?’ sasked Katherine. “‘ How?” ‘ Oh, offered her so much ready cash she simply couldn’t resist. So they were di- vorced. She’s living in Paris now on the income. And you know if the marriage hadn’t been legal his family would never have given up all that coin!” “T would have liked being married by my own dear minister,” said Katherine, sighing; “ with bridesmaids and ushers and everything.” Gomichbooks.com