Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 129: what you’re looking at

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

LIBERATION. “You mean that you doubt my word?” he began bitterly. ‘I can’t blame you, I suppose, after my lie about seeing Wharton, so we’re at an impasse. You ask me to find a man whose own wife and closest associ- ates can’t locate; a man with whom I haven’t been in touch for months. He may even be out of the country by now, and the world is wide; am I to search it? ‘Tf he should come to me I shall bring him to you. That is all I can promise, but I swear to you that I know no more where he is now than I know who committed that forgery.” CHAPTER XIX. FOR ONE HELD DEAR. HEY drove the rest of the way to Scarborough in silence, and Mary de- - gcended at the station just as her train pulled in. There was only time for King to clasp her hand, and she averted her eyes to avoid the entreaty in his. Each had said all that could be said between them for the moment and during the five minute run to Ossining she rested, feeling ‘that never in all her life had she been so utterly worn and weary. On reaching home at last she found that her mother was up but pale and listless and she kissed her with a stab of compunction, mentioning vaguely a visit to the shops in town and the friends she had encountered in the tea room. Behind Mrs. Greenough, Susan was making mysterious gestures in the doorway, and as soon as Mary couid end the brief, constrained conversation she went up to her room, with her old nurse at her heels. “Miss Mary,” Susan shut the door and stood with her angular shoulders against it. ‘ Vour—-the young gentleman is fair wiid to sce you, and it’s threatening to leave, he is! Iwas something his mother said to him this morning, I’m thinking, and when I got her away at last and went to take him a bit of hot lunch, everywan being out o’ the way, he asked could he see you. I told him you’d gone to the city and he said would I ask you to let him speak to you the minute you got back. He looked 768 like something had hit him straight between the eyes!” “Father isn’t home yet?” “No, Miss Mary. He phoned he’d be back in time for dinner, though.” “Then Id better go to the studio now.” Mary sighed. ‘“ Try to keep mother’s at- tention engaged, and I[’ll slip in again as soon as I can, Susan.” The emotions of the day and the added strain through which she had just passed during her interview with Wesley King had left her limp and too exhausted to think. What urgent message George Lorrin could have for her it was impossible to imagine, and how much of what she had learned must she tell him? He had a right to know, of course, and yet she bore Wesley’s name, she owed him a duty that must not be ignored. _ Nils was in the garden and she was forced to make a detour back of the glen, but although there was no sign of life from the studio the door opened silently for a few inches before her as she mounted the porch steps and she found George Lorrin waiting on the wide, cold hearthstone. “Tf was sure it must be you.” He ad- vanced with outstretched hand and she saw that he was haggard and hollow-eyed once more. “I’m sorry to ask you to run this added risk, but I felt that I must see you!” ‘“T’ve just returned from the city,” Mary explained as she took the chair he drew for- ward for her. “The news your mother brought this morning was distressing.” ““ She said she had talked with you first, told you everything.” He passed his hand over his eyes. ‘‘I didn’t mean that she should. I didn’t mean that you should be dragged any further into this miserable affair of mine than you have been already.” “Why?” Mary’s eyes opened wide, but there was a sudden, deeper shadow in them. “You know that we—she and I—are work- ing together—” ‘You must not!” <A hoarse note had come into his low tones. “I said to you cnce before, Miss Mary, in Mr. King’s pres- ence, that I would prefer not to have you make the attempt and I—my mother’s news means more to me than I can explain. It has put a different face on the matter en- Oo ComiclbookKs (C@