Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 138: what you’re looking at

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

608 that they could raid the larder together, and exchange the latest news and gossip. Only too often he was out later than she. And he never made an effort to dine at home any more the nights she was going to be in. In short, he had dropped her on Muriel’s account, although he was really discovering that now for the first time. He had not done it knowingly or intentionally, of course; but he had done it! And so had forced her to find new interests to fill her life. What Jack could not know was that Katherine had rejoiced in the freedom con- ferred upon her by Jack’s engagement to Muriel. So he suffered the pangs of re- morse now as he thought of her lying there, white and silent, breathing with difficulty. He told himself that he was older—he should have known better! That he had been false to the trust their parents had placed in him. That he had failed the girl just when she had most needed him. And she was paying the penalty with her repu- tation and her life. It was hard to face facts like these! He prayed that she might recover so that he could make amends! He was willing now to make any sacrifice that might be de- manded of him, if he could only secure her happiness and safeguard it! He stood ready to be a martyr to the cause, if need be—even to give up Muriel. But he clung more tightly than ever to her hand as he thought this—and held his breath. It was a terrific price to pay. And then the maid from the cloak room slipped up behind his chair and laid an en- velope before him. He recognized Kath- erine’s handwriting on it at a glance, and lifted startled, eager eyes to see who had laid it there. “Miss Kendall asked me to give you that, sir,” said the woman importantly. “ Miss Kendall asked you? She is bei- ter?” he asked hoarsely. “Ves, sir! She’s better,’ answered the woman. ‘ Looks like it must ’a’ been a headache powder after all, though she says not. Or maybe shock!” “Thank you,” he said curtly, frowning, and offering her a bill. ‘“You’re welcome,” she answered, far ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY, from gratefully. Tt was not that the bill was too small. It was just that she seemed never to get the gratitude she was expect- ing. Observing that he was waiting for her to go—that he had no intention of opening his missive while she lingered, she an- nounced tartly: “Miss Kendall particularly told me I was to wait for an answer!” “Where is she?” he asked. “In the ladies’ room!” “T’ll follow you to the foot of the stairs and deliver the answer myself,” he said. At that she turned and went back slow- ly through the little tables to the door. She had no right there at all, really, but not having been stopped, she had seized the opportunity to have a look about. And as Charlie was even at that moment locked in the little office with Silvers, this had been quite possible. She took her time re- turning to the cloak room; and when she arrived there, Katherine and Joan were no- where to be seen. She regretted this, but made the best of it, and placed herself at the door, with a good view of the stairs, so that if Jack did come looking for his sister, their interview would not escape her. But Jack did not come. Opening the letter, he had read it swiftly, his brows go- ing up, his eyes growing wide with aston- ishment and incredulous delight: MY DARLING JACKIE: I am running away with Garry—and we’re going to be married. I can’t tell you where we are going, because it is better, for the present, that you be unable to give the author- ities any assistance whatever! However, I’m coming back to face the music later, if they don’t find the real murderer in the interim. No need to tell you that, surely—or that I am innocent of any wrongdoing whatever! You see, I've just found out that I’ve loved Garry all along—never, never any one else— and I’m not going to waste any more time! I’m going to live and love at last—as I’ve always wanted to. And, Jack, I’ve an idea now that it’s all the same thing; loving is living! Until we meet again—and always—always, Your devoted sister, KATHERINE. He looked up from the letter to find Mu- riel’s dark eyes fixed on him with a world ° of tenderness and sympathy in their depths. 8 A COPMIE OOOKS COM |