Argosy All-Story Weekly, December 4, 1926 — page 118: what you’re looking at

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

428 “Then you feel that it’s quite all right for my husband to be making love to your wife in his sleep?” “Tn his sleep—yes,”’ James laughed. “ As a matter of fact—and thank Heaven I'm still sane enough to realize it—that was probably the most natural thing in the world. Not pleasing to you, perhaps, Irma —but natural. You see, they did think they were in love, once upon a time, and these things make a record in the brain that sticks. ‘“ Everything does, for that matter. And according to a lot of the stuff I’ve been reading lately, when you go to sleep your subconscience sort of upheaves, and shoots out a lot of things the old head awake would never think of thinking, if you get what I mean? pais all there is to this, Irma.” Mrs. Budlong crossed ee legs and nodded, smiling strangely. “Well, I get what you mean, but I’m afraid that that’s not all there is to it,” she said. ‘“ Jimmy, two or three times late- ly, you’ve thought me pretty incoherent, haven’t you?” “ Um—yes, I guess I have, Irma.” “That was because I was just on the verge of telling you about their romance, and each time I stopped because I wasn’t absolutely certain. Now, after watching Fred in his sleep, | am!” “ Because it all jibes, of course.” “Do you think you have more evi- dence?” James asked, almost contemptu- ously. “Tm afraid I do,” Irma said pensively. “Vou see, I’ve been doing most of the housework -lately, Jim. Well, a week ago Friday I was emptying Fred’s waste basket into the stove in the kitchen, and several bits of paper, fluttered out. I picked them up, and just as I was about to throw them in, I noticed one, which seemed to be the end of a letter. It had on it: ‘ Your first love, Dot!’ ” ‘ What?” “ And she was his first love, so far as I’ve heard, Jimmy.” ‘ But—that’s ridiculous. It may have been some old letter. It may—’’ ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. “Only it wasn’t, Jimmy. The date line was there, too, and it had been written the day before. And the third piece—there were only three—said: ‘—it is high time that we—’ ” “We what?” “That was all, Jimmy. Just those three pieces of rather dark blue paper with—” “Dot uses dark-blue paper!” James cried, and this time there was agony in his voice. ‘““T know she does,” sighed Irma. “Have you—got them with you?” young Mr. Cranning continued with difficulty. “No, they’re home, though. And that’s not all, either. You know how finicky Fred is about carrying much money? Well, he drew out five thousand dollars in cash last Monday!”’ ‘What for?” ‘True enough—what for?” Irma echoed. ‘Td never have known it if his monthly balance and paid checks hadn’t arrived Saturday morning with the envelope un- sealed. J took them out to put on his desk, and that five-thousand-dollar one was on top of the pile. Enough for a flying start, if they’re really contemplating leaving us, Jimmy?” ‘ Yes!” agreed James Cranning, and his voice was growing thicker and _ thicker. “ And, Irma!” “Well?” “When Fred—when Fred was in here a little while ago, he made some sort of slip. He began to say something about ‘ Dot and TI,’ and then he swore he’d said nothing of the kind.” Mrs. Budlong nodded without great in- terest in this. “Yes, she seems to be on his mind. Jimmy, you ‘re not stone-blind, are you?” Bo give it up!” muttered James. “WwW al has Dorothy been the same these last few days?” “No, she hasn’t!” swered. “ There’s no getting away from that, Irma. Or she hasn’t been the same since Saturday night, anyhow. She refused absolutely to let me explain why I got in so late.” ‘““ How could she do that?” Mr. Cranning an- (E00) DOOKS MAIC (F@)