Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 142: what you’re looking at

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

932 “Sure!”’ Olney said. ‘“Tve got a girl waiting for me in Chicago. I’m starting for there to-night. I only needed a little money to be able to go back—to show that I had made good. Well, good-by!” He swung out of the door and closed it smartly behind him. Ruth had a sensation of unreality. There seemed to be something counterfeit in Olney’s manner. For a moment she stood looking down at the hand which he had just clasped. It was stained with the dust which had been on his own hand. She brushed off the dust and sat down at the telephone. Even when she had taken down the receiver she kept the connection closed for a moment. She was trying to decide what the emotion was that was stirring her. She wanted to con- gratulate Seagrave and express hér thanks to him—but was that all? If it was not, hadn’t she better wait a while? Her business instinct told her that post- ponement would be safer, but she didn’t yield to the prompting of that instinct. It was a fact that she wanted to hear Sea- grave’s voice. She had to wait while they hunted him up at the hotel, and when he answered she said in a voice which she tried to make cool: “Olney has just told me that you and he have succeeded. I’d like to see you. I want to make a settlement with you.” “ There’s no hurry about it, Ruth,” he said. “Vou might drop over after dinner.” ‘““'Very well,” he agreed, and she hung up. He came promptly and she assumed a businesslike air. ‘J hope you won’t have any silly scruples about accepting payment for helping Olney out,” she said. “ None in the world,” he rejoined. “ In fact, I think I have something coming to me. You see, Olney and I were working inevitably along the same lines. In helping him out I used the plans I’ve been for- mulating. I’ve got nothing now.” ““ What do I owe you, then?” Ruth asked. ‘What do you think?” : ‘“T paid Olney fifteen thousand dollars,” she said. ‘ He mentioned five thousand for you. Would that be satisfactory?” ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. “Entirely,” he said. “It’s rather more than I expected, but Olney let you off cheaply.”’ “He gave you as much credit as he could,” she said. ‘ Shall I give you a check now?” There was a strange vibration in her voice. Seagrave looked at her curiously. The color had fled from her cheeks and she was breathing a little fast. “You are wondering what I would do with that much money, aren’t you?” he ‘asked. “ Ves,” she whispered. “You are thinking that it would carry me to French Canada or to Cuba and sus- tain me there for quite a while?”’ She nodded. “How long, Ruth, is it going to take me to convince you?” he asked in a strained voice. 3 She sat down and leaned her head on her hand. “It’s been a confusing day,” she said. Seagrave looked at her intently. She seemed cast down in the face of success. He yearned to try to console her for something whose cause was hidden from him, but he refrained. He would not press her. He would do nothing to try to break her will. “Never mind, Ruth,” he said. “A trip like that has no attraction for me. That is the plain and simple truth. If it had, I’d probably take this money and go.” She flung out her arms on the table in front of her and rested her face on them. Her shoulders shook. Seagrave sat with clenched hands. His face was white from fighting back the long- ing that surged through him. When she con- tinued in her position, he rose and went out on the porch. He would give her time to re- gain her self-control. He stood out there for ten minutes and then she came out. ““T’m.glad,” she said with fierce intensity. ‘“ 1’m proud, too. I am almost sure that you are safe now, unless something should come up to hurt you. 7 try not to hurt you. What are you going to do with your money?” “Well,” he said, and he forced gayety COMIC OOOkKXs (CO) im