Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 123, No. 3 — page 129: what you’re looking at

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

‘MOORS END. To my intense embarrassment, she came at once toward me, but only to pass by on her way to the corner of the room, where the safe stood. I pricked up my ears and leaned forward. Was I going to discover something after all? She stood for some seconds in front of the safe, and the candle- light, falling on her face, showed it to be drawn and anxious. Then, as if she had made up her mind at last, she snatched something out of her loose kimono and laid it on the top of the safe, turned, and made her way swiftly out of the room. I waited until I heard her go up-stairs, and then relit my own candle. I hated to spy on her, but I must see what the thing was she had left on the safe. CHAPTER XVIII. A KISS. STOOD for several minutes staring down at the little object on top of the safe, a worn, brown leather purse with a folded slip of paper tucked under it. Involuntarily, I picked up the purse and opened it. There was nothing inside but a gold ring with a fair-sized diamond which I had no- ticed on Shirley’s hand. What on earth did all this mean? One thing was certain: I had to see what was inside the I felt like a brute as I laid the shabby little purse down and unfolded the paper, but it had to be done. There were two lines hurriedly scratched on the inside of the half sheet of paper and I read them twice carefully. C. M. in house. Safer to go at once. S. I thought many things as I read it. Un- doubfedly it was a message for her father, a warning, left here on the safe, but what did the purse and ring mean? I could readily understand that with his accomplice securely locked up, whatever plans they had made might miscarry, but why was Shirley warming him unless she, too, was in the plan? With a sickening sensation I realized that I had stumbled upon something that 411 I would much rather have avoided. If I . had followed my own inclinations I would have left both paper and purse, but my duty to my uncle demanded that I show my discovery to him. With a heavy heart I picked them up and put them in my pocket, then took my candle and went up-stairs. open the door of my charge’s room I was surprised to see a light in it and some one bending over the bed. It was Shirley, and as she turned and saw me, she colored guiltily, as I thought. “‘T came in to see if our patient needed anything,” she said with overdone careless- ness. “I thought I heard him groan, but he seems to be sleeping quietly.” “T think he is as comfortable as can be,”’ I answered. ‘‘ Uncle Gregory has put him in my care to-night, so you need not worry about him.” If she saw the hint that I was rather clumsily trying to convey, she did not move. Instead, she looked at me with a return of her former suspicious manner, but did not speak. I grew decidedly un- comfortable. How was I to.get her out as my uncle had requested? ; “You must be quite tired,” I suggested. “This has been rather an exciting day.” ““T rested this afternoon, thank you. I thought that as all things go in threes, and we have had two disturbed nights already, I would be prepared for a third.” I fancied there was a mocking knowledge in her words as if she, too, knew more than she chose to tell, so I determined to use a little diplomacy. “What makes you think we shall be dis. turbed?” I asked in my most innocent manner. “‘ Simply the law of sequence,” she re- plied as innocently. ‘“ Don’t you think so, too?” | | “‘ Anything is likely to happen here, but, ‘forewarned is forearmed,’ you know. If any one should come to-night, he is likely to meet with a warm reception.” I thought she winced, but ther voice was quite calm as she replied: . “Then I shall feel quite safe under your protection, if you have all the keys of the house, as well as that of the laundry?” bee nal fror TATE UNG ORETNG DOO = As I pushed S CO