Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 103: what you’re looking at

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

OUT OF THE WORLD FOR A WHILE. She shook her head. “Do you remember one night in spring seven years ago, when I came to see you, and you met me at the door?” he asked. ‘“‘ You were always meeting me at the door with that laugh in your eyes. I thought no one was at home, and your landlady came down the stairs unexpectedly while I had my arms about you?” Ruth got unsteadily to her feet. Her face had gone white. She started for the door. Seagrave sprang up and stepped toward her. Love for her expressed by a great longing was surging through him. It was ineffably sweet and yet there was pain in it. “Ruth,” he said. ‘“ Wait! We can’t go on like this. Isn’t there some chance for me—a fighting chance? That’s all I ask. I'll wait till I’m gray if you'll give me just one word; if you’ll say that I can hope a little.” She shook her head in a fierce determina- tion, but he saw that her lashes were wet. “No!” she breathed. “ No! Don’t touch me. There! Grace is at the door.” There was intense relief in her tone. She dashed the tears out of her eyes and went to the door. The street door was opened and closed, and Grace came up to her mother. She looked at her keenly in a child’s wondering way, and then her eyes traveled to Seagrave’s face. ‘““ What’s the matter?” she asked with a precision beyond her years. crying again? What’s she crying for? Why does she cry? It makes me feel bad, too.” She caught at her mother’s dress and leaned against her. Ruth dropped an unsteady hand to her hair. “Tt’s all right now, dear,” Ruth said. ‘“* Mamma isn’t sad.” “Well, come in, then,’ Grace said. “ Don’t go to your room and shut the door the way you always do when you want to cry.” She tugged at her mother’s dress and drew her into the room. Her mother took her in her lap. Seagrave held out his arms to her. “Won’t you come to me, Grace?” he asked. | : “No; I'll stay here this time,” Grace ~ “Ts mamma 729 answered. ‘‘ Why do you go and come the way you do? Mr. Graham, over next door, doesn’t go and come like that. He’s always at home. He was reading out of a funny book to Lucille and me just before I came home. It was a book all about rabbits. I wish you could stay here and read to me about rabbits. Can’t you?” ‘““ T’ll send you a rabbit book in the mail to-morrow,” Seagrave said. ‘“And come and read it to-morrow night?” Grace asked. Seagrave questioned his wife with his eyes, but she would give him no answer to his mute plea. She would not add her word to the child’s. | . ‘Yes, I'll come to-morrow night, Grace,” Seagrave promised. Grace slipped down from her mother’s lap and climbed up on Seagrave’s. He held her gently, though there was a fierce desire in his heart to strain her to him. “ Tell me a story,” she commanded. For a long time his low voice was the only sound in the room. Ruth sat with downcast eyes as if she dared not look at them. Then the child, with sudden and complete abandon, fell asleep. Seagrave rose and surrendered her to her mother. Ruth’s hands passed over his as she took the soft burden. For a space their eyes met. There was dumb misery in both their re- gards. But Seagrave did not attempt a Caress, as he might have done. He saw that he must not take advantage of this woman whom he had made suffer. : “T traveled a long way,” he said, “ and — inevitably it will be a long way back.” He went out into the night, leaving his wife holding their child up against her breast. CHAPTER XI. MRS, SEAGRAVE’S DEAL. OLMES and Seagrave went down to municipal court Monday morning to see what the judge would have to say to Allison. Allison was already there, show- ing what pomposity he could while he wait- ed for his case to be called. EComicbooks com —