Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 123, No. 3 — page 130: what you’re looking at

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

— 412 I felt myself growing red. Why on earth couldn’t she leave that old key business alone? It was a neat thrust, however, but I countered as neatly. ‘You seem to attach a great deal of im- portance to the fact that I happened to have a duplicate key. Perhaps you would like to keep it, yourself ?”’ I handed her the key, but she waved it aside. | . | “Thank you, no. It is quite possible to have more than one duplicate. I have no use for it to-night.” _* I felt my temper rising, but I held it ‘Just what do you mean by that?” I asked steadily. shrugged her shoulders. - “‘ Anything you choose to take.”’ “Then, I take it. that you consider my actions suspicious, and yet they are not half so suspicious as yours.” She whirled on me. ‘What do you mean?”’ _T pointed to the man on the bed. “That man was the one who was in your stateroom on the Sound boat; he fol- lowed us to the island; and when we walked out here I saw him, Hiding behind a dune, watching us. You know who he is, and he recognized you.” She faced me steadily, although her face flamed. \ “Who has told you, all this? Uncle Gregory?” “T saw it for myself. You know what this man has come here for. What is it?” She met my question proudly. ‘‘T shall not tell you. You may give Uncle Gregory any impression you like.”’ “Tf Uncle Gregory has not already formed his own impressions he is less clever than I think him,” I returned dryly. “ Certainly I have had nothing to do with them. ” She laughed mockingly. “You don’t expect me to believe that you would lose such a good opportunity to gain favor with my uncle?” I lost my temper entirely at this. My uncle had asked me not to warn her in any way, that we suspected her; J had already said too much in referring to her knowing a Digitized by Go ogle ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY, that man, so here was I, obliged to submif to her taunts, while my best retort, the fact of the purse and note must remain unused. ““T don’t know what you expect to get by insulting me,” I muttered. - She laughed in my face. “Perhaps it is because when you are angry you show your true colors.” | “We won’t discuss the subject,” I said, my voice low with anger, “ but I suggest that you amuse yourself with some one else in some other place.” I walked to the door and held it open. She did not move, but-stood watching me defiantly. “So you hinted before, but more deli-. cately. Well, I’m sorry to tell you that I have quite as much right in this room as you have, and that I intend to stay here.” She looked so defiant, and so pretty, standing there, glaring at me like an angry kitten, that my wrath subsided to annoy- ance. : this thing. Uncle Gregory has asked me to stay with this man, alone, and I intend to do it. You will save us both a very unpleasant scene if you go now quietly.” ‘What will you do if I don’t go?” she remarked. ‘“ Has chivalry anything to sug- gest? Because—I don’t intend to go until I am ready.”’ If only I could have felt really angry, it would have been easier, but for the life of me, I could not lay hands on her, and the little wretch knew it. to the bed and stood with my back to her, trying to think of some way to. get her out peaceably, but, womanlike, she pressed her advantage too far. ‘““You make rather a poor conspirator, Carlos,” she sneered. “ While you were thinking up compliments, your charge would escape.” I turned and faced her. -“ You have no difficulty in thinking up disagreeable speeches, at any rate. Now, will you kindly leave the room?” Before she could utter the defiance I saw on her lips, I had calmly stooped down, picked her up and carried her out of the room. I had intended merely to ear ORGIOE a) '“ See here, Shirley, den’t be foolish abdut I walked over . ; . ( NOOKS.CO THE OHIO STATE Ul