Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 79: what you’re looking at

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

“Will you please press that button—no, _ the white one—and get my fool maid here?” Cynthia pressed it. The poking process went on and on, until Mrs. Stone had spread. all her bits of glitter- ing, old-fashioned jewelry apart. She elared at them with anger plainly rising— and the door opened and a lean and sour- looking maid of middle age appeared. “ Graves!” snapped her mistress. “ You cleaned up in here to-day?” ‘Yes, ma’am.” « Did you, by chance, open my jewel casket?” The maid stiffened. ‘“ T’ve never yet opened it in all the nine years I’ve been with you, Mrs. Stone, ex- cept that you sent me to fetch something from it!” ‘Aha? Anna’s still sick, isn’t she? You swept the floor?” “She is and I did, ma’am.” “Well, did you see my lace pin knocking around anywhere?” “Which one, Mrs Stone?” “The big one, of course!” Mrs. Stone- cried. “With — with the large diamond, ma’am?” gasped the maid, and paled and grew instantly concerned. cc Yes.” “TY didn’t—didn’t see it, Mrs. Stone!” “T’m not quite sure I like the way you say that, Graves,”’ the elder lady said medi- tatively, and jabbed the woman with her eyes. “But you can’t possibly mean that—” “Never mind what I mean! That pin’s gone. Where is it?” “But I don’t know, Mrs. Stone!” cried the maid excitedly. ‘‘ Perhaps it’s on the gown you wore last night, ma’am. I'll look ——and—”’ “You needn’t. It’s not there. I took it off myself and put it back in the box. You saw me do it!” “TY did—I did!” Graves agreed, quite chokinely. ‘I remember that now, Mrs. Stone!” “Well, what’s become of it, then? What’s become of it, Graves?” ““J—TI don’t know!” ss = ___ “Paid three thousand dollars for that -PINNER FOR CYNTHIA. stone, and it’s been my favorite geegaw for a quarter of a century!” Neville’s grand- | mother explained darkly to Cynthia, and’ sen whirled back on the maid with: “ Don’t ~ distress yourself quite so visibly, Graves! — = I think you’re overdoing it a bit!” Se “Look here, woman! Youre in full charge of my effects, and have been for _ years. Enough said! If there’s any sort ~ of clean breast you want to make, make it mow and make it quick, and very likely - nothing worse than dismissal will be ahead of you, so that I get back the pin itself, = Well? Well?” ——. The pallid maids spoke only with the greatest difficulty. “Mrs. Stone,” she wailed, “may I be struck dead as I stand here if ’ve seen that pm since you put it away last night!” — “Struck dead, eh?” the elder lady mut- tered and smiled grimly as she scratched her chin thoughtfully. “Meant to sound convincing, I suppose, whether it is or not. Who else has been prowling around in here, Graves?” See “Not a soul!” . aes The scratching process went on a little longer; then Mrs. Stone shrugged her big ae shoulders: ees eae “Ring for Towner!” she snapped; and — demanded of Cynthia; “Can you beat it?? = ‘“Oh, the pin’s around somewhere, Pry sure,” Cynthia smiled soothingly, and bent and searched the floor around the dressing- = table. “A thing like that could hardly—” “Cynthy, in this house, anything can happen — anything!” Mrs. Stone cried = irascibly. “You mark my words—any- thing! Did you ring for Towner, Graves?” ‘JT did!” the maid stuttered. See Cynthia Blair sighed lightly. Five minutes ago, escape had been an accom-_ Ae plished fact; now, since one hardly deserted a perturbed elderly lady in such a crisis, it’ = = seemed that she would have to remain for: 7 another ten or fifteen minutes, until-the — wretched pin had revealed itself. Not that it mattered so very much, because Billy ah Rid ae aK 4 — A *) 4 1 ! § Pav ” Be was still dining next door and she did not _ eS wish to phone him until most of his talking had been done. But there was something = shivery and ominous about this establish- = = i