Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 123, No. 4 — page 110: what you’re looking at

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

616 It angered her to see his incredulous unbelief, his scorn. ‘“‘ But don’t worry,” he muttered, settling back in his chair. “I’m sorry that he’s drawn false impressions. Margaret is always a little too friendly, and people are apt to put wrong constructions upon it. I'll speak to her. Very sorry this has happened.” “They been planning a house,” she said non-committally, and she could have laughed in spite of her pain to see him writhe. ‘“‘A house?” he said heavily. ‘ Mar- garet has been planning a house with your son?”’ He rose from his chair—jumped up al- most—and began walking back and forth with a quick, light step. She could see that he was enraged; she saw more than that; that he was containing his wrath by a great effort. ‘‘ How long has this been going on, Mrs. Garth?” He turned as he spoke, and the words went snapping at her. She took up her sewing again and began to work, and every stitch was riveting her original idea: they should not marry! She had won the great first step; Tyson would help her. . “ It’s been goin’ on ever since Eddie saw Margaret.” . ‘“ Ever since—”’ He sat down suddenly, staring. ‘‘ You mean,” he added, lowering his voice to a murmur that went thrilling through her, ‘“ you mean: that it began when he first visited u@ in New York?” “It begun when he saw her,” said the remorseless old woman. ‘ He made up his mind that she was to be his wife. And what he wants he most generally gets.”’ “His wife; Margaret his wife,” repeated Tyson. “ God!” The idea crushed him frst, and then maddened: him. “The only reason he brought you out West—”’ she began. “He didn’t bring me,” cut in Tyson coldly. ‘“ I came of my own accord.” ‘The only reason he brought you out here,” she insisted, “‘ was because he knew that he wouldn’t have no chance with Mar- garet if he stayed with her in New York. iatized ty GOOgle ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY He knew that he had to get her out in his own country—where manners and things like that don’t count so much. So he brung you because he knew that she’d come. trailin’ after.” And she heard him breathing quick and hard. ‘‘ A double purpose?” said Tyson. There was a long pause. She became afraid to look into his face, yet there were few things which Mrs. Garth feared. “ All that talk about hardening me up, giving me a taste of the real iron of life—” he stopped. - “I thank you for letting me know this, Mrs. Garth.” ‘“‘ And ‘now what are you going to do?” He stood with the knuckles of both hands grinding into his forehead. When he looked at Mrs. Garth again, his eyes were blank, like the eyes of a child which cannot under- stand some difficult explanation. “ Garth brought me here—me—because he wanted to—” Tyson broke off with a strong shudder. ‘It is—wrong!” he said, with white lips. And it was as if he had named a leprous thing. “ It shall be—prevented.” Mrs. Garth looked narrowly at him. She remembered the massive shoulders of her son, and she remembered what Garth had also told her of their boxing. There were unknown reservoirs of strength iri this fellow. What she perceived of him was a very dim hint of the mind within, and yet there was just a touch of fear, even in her cool mind; and there was deep rage also, for she felt the clashing of classes in this conflict between Tyson and her son. Even in the silence she felt that the crisis was there. The battle was commenced. She saw Tyson staring blankly into va- cancy, his face whife; and she knew that he was inwardly writhing with pain, shame, hate. CHAPTER XXXIII. PRIDE LIF1TS ITS HEAD. HEN, later in the afternoon, she heard the sound of the closing front door, and then the voices, she smiled grimly to herself. They came expecting 1DOOK ~