Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 94: what you’re looking at

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

720 born that night he had seen Allison enter the old home, but it had not grown till now. 3 “You can drink your head off for all I care, Allison,” Seagrave said. (Allison’s face purpled. He was about to speak, but he caught Radcliffe’s eyes. Radcliffe was looking at him scornfully, as much as to say that Allison was interfering with what they were jointly trying to do. “Oh, no offense, Seagrave,” Allison said with the quick change of front which he was capable of in emergencies. “ I meant nothing personal. Let the game go merrily on.” They played for half an hour longer. Then Seagrave began to feel sleepy. He tried to fight off the feeling. He did not want to break up Radcliffe’s party. He still thought that Radcliffe had merely in- tended to be kind to him. But his eyes grew heavier and heavier, and presently he ‘began to nod as Allison dealt. He shook himself awake and looked at Radcliffe with an apologetic smile. “Ym sorry, Radcliffe,’ he said, ‘“ but I’m afraid I'll have to run along. I need sleep. I want to work on that thing to- - morrow. I’m dead.” He rose, and Allison stopped shuffling the cards. “It’s strange you can stand so little,” Allison growled out of an alcoholic discon- tent with everything. “ You’re a strong man. You’ve been up for two days and a night and you hardly show it.” “How do you know I have?” Seagrave asked. | “ Radcliffe told me,” Allison answered. _ Seagrave caught the frowning look of annoyance which Radcliffe tossed at Alli- son. Suspicion suddenly dawned in Sea- grave’s mind. He glanced at Miller. Mil- ler was looking at him as if he waited for Seagrave to move. That confirmed Sea- grave’s suspicion. He sensed that there was something wrong here. Radcliffe’s party was apparently not all it had at first seemed to be. He rose. ‘“T must be going,” he said. ‘‘ There are five of you left. That Il make a game of a sort.” “Of course,” Radcliffe said in an at- ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. tempt at heartiness. “Sorry you are sleepy, Seagrave; but it’s no wonder. Get some rest between now and Monday.” “All right,” Seagrave said _ shortly. “ Good night.” Except Allison, the men bade him good night. Allison sat glowering in his chair. Radcliffe accompanied Seagrave to the door. — “Don’t mind what Allison says,” Rad- cliffe urged. ‘“‘ He’sshad a few too many.” ““So I see,” Seagrave said. He stepped out into the soft night and walked briskly up the street. When he knew his footsteps must have been lost to Radcliffe, who stood in the doorway, he stopped. Glancing back, he saw a man come down the walk from Radcliffe’s house. After a tentative look up and down the street, the man came in Seagrave’s direc- tion. Seagrave stepped into the shadows. Mil- ler passed him in a moment, walking rapid- ly toward the corner. When he reached it, he stopped and looked up and down as if he were puzzled. Then he turned back. Seagrave left his concealment and met him halfway. Miller started at sight of him. ¢ “You were going home and changed your mind,” Seagrave laughed. “Forgot something at Radcliffe’s,” Mil- ler mumbled. “T’m going right up to my hotel—if that interests you,” Seagrave said in a sharper tone. “The information may save you trouble.” Miller managed a stare. * What do you mean by that?” he asked. “Whatever you make of it,” Seagrave said, and went on up the street. He no longer felt sleepy. The clock above the courthouse marked only nine. He thought he would go to see Holmes. As he walked along he wondered about Allison and Miller. He saw clearly that the party which Radcliffe had given had not been a step in his social rehabilitation. There was no one at Radcliffe’s who could have done him any good socially in Hart- well. Allison didn’t amount to anything, and Miller did not. The two other men were nonentities. 5A ft Oe S235 ee z ae <,