Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 123, No. 3 — page 137: what you’re looking at

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

MOORS “Why did you want to get out?” I * asked She hesitated, then replied evasively: “Why did you?” “Oh, I wanted to stroll in the moon- light.. Was that your reason, too?” My sarcasm was clumsily obvious—as I. had intended it to be. | She gave an angry start and her voice was full of vibrating passion. ‘““T don’t expect you to believe anything but what is bad of me. You and my uncle have suspected me ever since that man came; and you, at least, have taken no pains to hide your suspicions. “ But what of your actions, have they been above suspicion? How do I know that in your desire to get the monéy you haven’t prejudiced Uncle Gregory against me? Who was it locked my door?”’ She fairly hurled these accusations at me and I was silent under the shock of hearing them from her. So these were the pleasant things she had been thinking about me all.the time? I forgot that I had been thinking equally unpleasant things about her, if with more reason. “How you do hate me,” I said involun- tarily. ‘“ But you cared if ‘I fell.” “ T don’t care what happens to you,” she returned savagely. ‘‘ Please take your hands away.” | I became conscious then, for the first time, that I was still holding her wrists, and dropped my hands quickly. | _ “We are foolish to stand here quarrel- ing,” I said eoldly. “There is work for me.to do down-stairs.” She caught at my sleeve as I moved to- ward the door. “ Did you hear that noise, too?”’ “Yes, that is why I had to get out. Some one has blown open the safe.” | She gave a gasp—but not of surprise. tered. _ : “Go down and investigate. He’s prob- ably had time to make his haul and get away. I was a fool to waste time here,” I added bitterly. Shirley’s lips tightened, but she said nothing and followed me. I turned back at the head of the stairs. | END. 419 “Go back to your room. This is no womgn’s work.” “I’m coming,” she said mockingly, “Oo perhaps you intend to lock me in my room again.” ‘ Our eyes met and battled angrily. There was no time to be lost over an obstinate woman, for I imagined I heard the sound of steps below. ‘““Come, and be hanged, ” I said furi- ously, and turning went down-stairs. CHAPTER XXiI. IN THE DAWN. HAD no definite plan of action, and I was entirely weaponless besides, so I stopped a moment to consider. My best plan would be to surprise the man if he was still there, and so gain an advan- tage; I had had one taste of his strength, and I knew that I must exert my own to the utmost to cope with it. There were two doors to the library where the safe stood; one from the main hall and the other opening on to the side hall, just at the head of the stairs to the kitchen. I decided to take this one, as the man, if surprised by my entrance from the middle hall, might make ,his escape more readily through it. As I stole down cautiously, my stock- ing feet making no sound, I glanced back over my shoulder and saw that Shirley had disappeared. I was glad she had decided to be sensible, and not follow me on such a dangerous quest. There was no telling what might happen, and I didn’t want any woman mixed up in it—least of all Shirley. Fortunately, the stairs did not creak any more than they usually do when you want to be quiet, and I reached the hall and _ Stole noiselessly around through the little “ What are you going to do?” she fal- passageway. It was ten to one that the man had already escaped with whatever he was looking for, as it was already twenty minutes or more since I had first heard the safe blown open. I was sure of this, although it seemed to me that an hour at least must have elapsed, for I remembered hearing the big clock in the stable, outside, strike five as I a igin al fron THE SPATE UNA OEP [HE ( TATE UN RSITY aD) =) SS CO