Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 12, 1927 — page 63: what you’re looking at

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

THE CRUCIBLE. glad, and yet in an odd way hesitant. Dur- ing the days of King’s absence she had tried consistently to elude a mesmeric influence that had begun to fascinate while, at the same time, it filled her with unspoken ap- prehension. But, try as she would, it seemed that even the apprehension was not without its allure. In her imagination she had set Brent and King opposite each other, endowing one with her written promise, the dear memories of youth and every quality of strength and courage. Against this she set the man who a month ago was unknown to her, and of whom even now she knew little. But the fact that she knew so little seemed only to invest him with added in- terest. That was the strange part. of it. She anticinated that not so long after she married Brent she would know him and understand him with a completeness that left no room for further exploration or even question. But with King it was the obverse of this. Men like him, if there were others like him, would only reveal themselves gradually, and constantly unfold new avenues of interest that incited a woman to the pursuit of new adventure. Such a man would never be “drab or commonplace. She did not love Marcus King, but she recognized the novel- ty of his personality, the brilliance of his mind, his power, charm and invitation. “T wonder if I am a fool?” she asked herself as she put the finishing touches to her hair. King greeted her with a friendly smile, that did much to allay her nervousness, and at once began to talk about the invalid. He said nothing about the damage to the car, seeming to regard that as a negligible matter. “You both had a very narrow escape, and I am amazed that Beatrice has come through it so well. Has she any clear recol- lection of what happened?” “ T think not. It was all over so quickly.” “Tt may amuse you, but I’m rather in- terested to know what she happened to be talking about, if she was talking, at that moment. It sounds a curious question.” Sylvia glanced at him, puzzled. wa Se cia to wae ae —— ee et, _ =. 57 “The reason I ask is that it might throw some light on her condition if, when she became conscious, she reverted to the same subject.” “No,” said Sylvia, “she didn’t. Some change seems to have taken place, and she has not mentioned the subject since.” ‘What was that?” he asked pointedly. She smiled a little. “It happened to be yourself,” King’s expression changed almost imper- ceptibly. “Is it permitted to ask what she said?” Slyvia felt the color stealing to her cheeks. ‘“* Really nothing,” she hesitated, “except what you must know already.” He laughed a little. ‘ I wonder whether that is meant as-a compliment or not.” “I must leave you to decide,” she par- ried. She was standing in front of the fire, and, as she spoke, moved a little nearer the blaze. The light material of her dress swung to- ward the flame, and, just at that moment, a log crumbled, emitting a cascade of sparks. King sprang forward as quickly as thought, and seizing her arm above the elbow, jerked her away. His face had as- sumed a queer pallor. “Tm sorry,” he said, rather a near thing.” She looked at him startled, her skin still tingling from the pressure of his fingers. “Thank you so much. I am afraid I was very careless.” He nodded. “ You were in danger, and didn’t know it. One doesn’t, always. Do you know what fear of fire really is?” “No, but [ think I’m glad I don’t.” “You're to be congratulated. It’s the only kind of fear of which I happen to be conscious, and it’s quite indescribable. When I was a little boy the hotel in which we then lived was burned with several people in it. A foolish nurse took me there next day when the bodies were being recovered, and ”’ —here he shrugged his shoulders—‘ you can guess the rest. I’ve never forgotten it, and try as I will [ never can. So please forgive me if I hurt you.” He paused for a moment, then added with a strange emphasis, “ That i is the a thing U want 40 ao 2 7 “but that was ot ae .. - eo nate = ts ae ~ - « o ae ao” age - 2 -—_*~ . oe ee ee | Praacbooke com