Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 136: what you’re looking at

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

762 “No,” agreed Dunning. “ Though his object was the same, he came te see Miss Ayres. J think you know why, Miss Her- ondene. For years Horton has loved Edith Ayres. For years the one desire oi his life has been to make her his wife—or, failing that, to insure her happiness. His passion for her, pure and unselfish as it is, his devo- tion to her happiness and subordination of all else to that end, is the most wonderful and beautiful thing of its kind I have ever known. It is like the great loves one reads about in old romances. You can’t be ig- norant of all this. You must have known | He “TIT don’t know it,” returned Aunt So- phronia, dryly. “I don’t expect to know it. But I agree with you that it sounds like an old romance. Exactly like one. But where does all this lead? I don’t see.” ‘Where does it lead?” repeated Dunning, in his most impressive manner. “It leads to the one chance left, not only for your nephew, but for the rest of you as well. And I had better say at once, Miss Heron- dene, that your attitude is by no means what I might wish. You would do well to modify it—to modify it and to listen care- fully to what I am about to say.” “My attitude,” observed Aunt So- phronia, obviously unimpressed, “‘ isn’t sup- posed to be what you wish, but what I wish. Ill listen, though, if you'll be quick,” she added. c Go on; say your say.” In part, perhaps, because he saw that his present course of conduct was unavailing, but in part certainly because his temper was rising, Dunning proceeded materially to change his attitude. Usually this tem- per of his was held in most rigid restraint; now it clearly was fast breaking all re- straints. Apparently this was exactly what Aunt Sophronia desired, for her face fairly beamed as she perceived the district attor- ney’s self-control rapidly slipping away. “‘ T'll go on, right enough—and you listen, if you know what’s best for yourself,” he said, insolently. ‘“ What I have to say is this. Your nephew, and Ayres also, as soon as they are tried, will be as guilty as the devil himself, so far as the law is concerned, and the law is all that matters to them. When Phil Herondene is retaken—and he’s ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. bound to be retaken soon—the law will send him to the electric chair for murder in the first degree, and Ayres for an accessory. This is beyond the shadow of a doubt. Do you grasp that?” ‘“ Dve grasped that from the first,” was the quiet reply. “Is that all you have to say?” “No; I'm here with a proposition—Hor- ton’s proposition. I’ve told you how he stands in regard to Miss Ayres, and it’s true, even though you don’t believe me. He’d make her happy, even if it came to surren- dering her to another man. In proof of that, he makes this offer. Let Phil return, plead guilty and take his sentence. Then Horton will pledge himself, in writing if you like, that as soon as he is elected Governor of this State—and he’s bound to be elected if your money doesn’t oppose him—his first official act will be to commute the sentences of both Ayres and Herondene, and as soon as the talk has died down a little, to pardon them. Even though the girl may elect to turn him down and stick to Phil—he’ll par- don them. Can you beat it?” “No,” answered Aunt Sophronia, shak- ing her head. “ Larry Horton sending you, of all people, to me, with such a proposition, is a thing that’s hard to beat.” By no means was Aunt Sophronia’s gentle sarcasm lost upon her hearer. If her object was still further to exasperate that over- strained temper, she accomplished it. ‘‘ That’s the proposition,” said he, flush- ing angrily. “It’s the best you'll get. Take it or leave it. But think twice before you turn it down. You'll regret it if you do—regret it bitterly. I warn you—and I know!” “Oh—you warn me!” said Aunt So- phronia, with a slow smile, her eyes never leaving Dunning’s face. “ Yet, as I see it, matters stand like this. You can’t try Phil until you catch him. In the meantime he’s likely to be cleared while you, Horton and a lot more go to jail for the thieves you are. At the very least you'll both lose your jobs —for you haven’t a chance for reélection, as you know perfectly. And yet you have ithe face to come here suggesting to me that I get my Phil to say he’s guilty of crimes that he had nothing to do with, and threat- Commie oooks (C@