Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 106: what you’re looking at

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

1 ' 7/1 PRPS ies be 732 | “Tf you will,” Seagrave said. Blair disappeared into an office marked “ Private.” It had been the private office of the elder Seagrave. It was the office in which Seagrave himself should now have been sitting, carrying on the business of the Seagrave company. Blair came out presently. “ Go right in,” he said. Seagrave advanced into the smaller room. As he did so a stenographer came out. She was a fluffy blonde and she gave Seagrave a stare of wonderment. Seagrave closed the door behind him. Ruth sat at his father’s old battered desk. There was a window at her back and the morning sun touched her hair, burnishing it. She was severely dressed for her business day, but she was none the less lovely for that simplicity. She looked very fresh. The color in the cheek which was turned to Seagrave was as fresh as Seagrave had ever known it to be in the past. She was a delicious combination of girlhood and sedate womanhood. She had been signing letters which the stenographer had apparently just laid on her desk and she did not look up till she had put pen to the last one. ‘Then she raised her head and gave Seagrave a level glance. “Good morning,” she said. He had a notion that she was a bit too self-controlled. Doubtless she had prepared herself for this interview. But Seagrave was not nettled by the coolness of her greet- ing. The pose was not unbecoming. Though she was about to walk into the trap which the wily Allison had set for her, Seagrave had no objection to her assuming that she was as efficient as she looked. “ Good morning,” he said, and he kept his own tone cool and even and did not smile, though he could not keep a glimmer of amusement out of his eyes. “ Has Mil- ler been here yet?” “I’m expecting him every moment,” Ruth said. ‘ He telephoned a while ago.” Seagrave moved closer to the desk and stood beside it. “ Ruth,” he said, “a couple of Federal agents are following Miller. They were in police court this morning when Allison’s a Ss -ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY, case was disposed of. Another will be here this morning after you have concluded your business with Miller. Miller and Allison will be arrested with your transaction with Miller as a basis for a holding charge. You don’t want to get mixed up in a case like that, do you?” Ruth put the signed letters in a basket at her elbow. She looked at him with a whimsical smile touching her lips. “And you have come to save me from these men who seek to defraud me?” she mocked him. “That is what I came for,’ he said so- berly. “I ask you not to see Miller. Let me meet him outside and send him on his way. I assure you he won’t trouble you again.”’ “ That is kind of you, Arthur,” she said quietly, “ but I prefer to transact my busi- ness in my own way.” cc Bat.’ Seagrave had no time to finish. Blair opened the door and poked in his head. “Mr. Miller is here,’ he announced. “Send him in,” said Ruth briskly. “T'll gor” Seagrave suggested. “ Please,”’ Ruth said. All right! Good old Holmes had the right dope. Ruth was determined to go it blind. Let her! She would have her les- son and then she might not have so much faith in her business ability. Seagrave went out as Miller entered. Miller closed the door. Seagrave, his an- ger rising, in spite of the satisfaction he had pretended to express to himself, went out- side. The Federal man who had picked up Miller was there. “I’m Seagrave,” Seagrave said shortly. “I know what you’re here for. If there is anything you want to ask me, shoot. I’ve just been talking to the president of the company.” “ Miller talking to her now?” the agent asked. <4 Yes.” “‘ She going to buy his stock?” “T couldn’t dissuade her.” The Federal man permitted himself to indulge in a thin smile. He lounged back against the brick wall of the building and smoked a cigarette. What seemed an in- = com GOGO) KS (fo) ; —_ — es =< ~ Page te me - Seen ~- wre = = a a oe eae See a Se eras - eo ao