Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 52: what you’re looking at

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

eut your advice, Swift,” hazarded Carl Howe easily. ‘ Unfortunately the whole thing is my fault. I came here for the express purpose of preventing this sort of thing—” “Then you assumed an unnecessary bur- den,” the literary light told him politely. “Tt was my duty to supervise Mrs. ets affairs—" “You flatter yourself,” sneered Carl Howe. “If I hadn’t decided to look into this thing—” ““ You decided!” roared the wireman. “] notice your hearing is excellent,” Carl observed pleasantly, ‘But you both know that it was really I who made the decision,’ Philip said witheringly. ‘After I had met him in the hall last. night—” “Oh, you met him all right and had a nice little chat with him,” admitted Charlie Dew, “ and of course your teeth were chat- tering because you were chilly. If I’d met him—” “ Oh, if you had met him,” broke in the exasperated Carl, “ you would have used - those fists of yours—” “ That’s more than you or sister, here, would have done!” “Are you calling me a coward?” de- manded Carl furiously. “Tf you want to think so, Percy!” “By Jove, Pil—” “ For Heaven’s sake,” remonstrated the literary light, “if you two must fight—” “You keep out of this, girly,” advised the wireman kindly, “‘ or you may be see- ing more blood, and maybe there ain’t any more ammonia in the house!” “ Oh, please, please!” Amalie raised her hands imploringly, backed away from them, her eyes wide with terror. Philip Swift hurried to her side, righteous indignation pinking his pallid cheeks. “ My dear Mrs. Ladd! I’m so sorry this has happened. But I’ve been fearful of it right along. These two—they’re not wor- ‘thy of the kindness you have shown them. You must put them out!” The two belligerents whirled ‘at the words. Carl Howe moved across the room, took Amalie’s arm masterfully. “Vou egotistical puppy! Who do you 3 ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. think you are, anyway? I’m here to pro- tect Mrs. Ladd. I’ve only stood for you because she was sorry for you! The sooner you get out—” “ You've only stood for me,” echoed the literary light derisively, and took firm pos- session Of Amalie’s free arm. ‘“‘ Why, it was I who agreed to let you stay when Mrs. Ladd consulted me about you. It’s you who’ll go!” Amalie’s frenzied gaze seesawed between them, the pale and indignant literary light, the purposeful Carl— her voluntary pro- tectors. “Oh, how can you! Please—” “Say the word and I'll chuck ’em both into the street,” offered Charlie Dew eager- ly. “I never did like ’em!” She shook herself free. There was a hot rebellion in her mild blue eyes as she opened her lips, but it was another voice that filled the room, “What the devil does this mean?” In their absorption they had quite forgotten the mysterious stranger—his guilt—the in- criminating evidence they had disinterred. They gazed at him stupidly. ‘“ How dare you break in here! Who’s been pawing over my things! What do you.mean by it! P—” But Charlie Dew, recovering first, leaped across the room with a suppressed cry of triumph, laid hold of the tall figure, pin- ioned his arms, roared to Carl Howe: “Lock the door, then frisk him while I hold on!” For a moment the face beneath the rich mop of iron gray hair was almost comically blank. Quiescent in the wireman’s iron grip, his eyes took in the room, the mud- died bed, the overturned waste basket, the haJf-open bureau drawers spilling their con- tents, the precious box of fossils. He gave vent to a yell of rage that tore at the sub- stantial walls and set the bric-a-brac on the mantel dancing. ‘So that’s the kind of a place you run, is it? A den of crooks!” The accusation was flung at the cringing Amalie. “Got me in here to rob me, did you? You—” “ Better keep your trap shut,” advised the wireman belligerently. ‘“ We’ve got you with the goods!” oO (S@) Eomichooks