The Argosy, December 1905 — page 145: what you’re looking at

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

A MONTH IN: MASQUERADE. man and stared keenly at him; he was rewarded by: “ Want anything, Mr. Alvin?” “Yes. You saw the house I just left?” SY es, Sit-ee “Take my ecard and see the house- keeper. Don’t let any one else know you’re there. ’'m not anxious to create any excitement.” “T understand, sir.” “There has been a butler there until to-day, by name of Parker. He left ‘early in the afternoon, and he will prob- ably not return. Find out all you can about him—where he came from and so on. 39 “Very well.” “'Then go to work and find the man himself—and don’t stop until you’ve done it. Is that plain?” “Yes, sir.” “ And when you’ve found him, don’t lose him again, understand? Let me know at once, at the Exmoor at night or at our offices during the day.” The man sauntered on again toward the Morrison home, and Duncan re- joined the waiting Morley. The evening was fine and cold, and the secretary led the way for a trudge down-town beside the Park. Duncan. was not at all averse to a taste of the crisp air, and they fell into a long stride. “Who was that?” Morley asked casually. “The man?” ce Yes.” “Pinkerton detective!” Duncan re- sponded shortly. “Whom you have hired?” Morley. “ Not at all. Whom Barrington hired to fend off stray bullets and such little things from my valuable person! There are two more in the neighborhood, I think—and he'll need a regiment of them if this sort of thing goes on much longer! ” “ Alvin! What on earth “ Morley,” said Duncan, breaking in upon the secretary, ‘ ‘what do you sup- pose ails Miss Morrison? ” “Wh? Oh, overdoing the society game, Henry. Don’t worry on that score. She’ll be about in a day or two.” asked 123 cf hope so, but—it isn’t society alto- gether.” “No? What then?” | “ Poison! ” Morley stood stock-still and stared. * Pol Oh, nonsense, Henry!” “Poison administered by Beatrice’s own butler, who is obviously a poor man and who received.an irresistible bait of dollars from Chambers to do the job!” ““My dear man! You’re insane!” Morley took up* the tramp again. “ Chambers is a rough lot, but—pshaw, he is not capable of that!” “Miss Morrison’s physician is quite positive of the fact itself; and Cham- bers is capable of anything now that will break off my—my marriage to Beatrice! ” “ But not that!” “TI tell you, he will do anything to satisfy his ends! Good heavens, Morley, don’t you realize that, all else aside, Chambers is playing for stakes every bit as great as ours? That marriage would mean the eternal ending of-all the hopes he is cherishing in the International ; it would mean that we had bested him in business and.that I had bested him in —love; and—well, perhaps I added a little force to his methods by kicking him, through that door!” FY ou did, that is true. But—murder! Such a character as Chambers is capable of it, I do believe; but would he do it? ” “Tf he felt reasonably certain that the thing wouldn’t be found out, yes! He must have been in this case.” * But—murder. Oh, I don’t know!” “He came to Beatrice early this morning and requested her to break our engagement and marry him, appear- ances and her own sentiments to the eontrary. I fancy that the scene was as lively as it could have been under the circumstances, and that when Chambers left he was in a new rage. At all events, this man Parker showed him out. “Later, Parker served luncheon. Later still, he left for the day. And finally Beatrice was taken slightly il— and the doctor says she had been poi- soned, and that only the merest luck saved her life!” “ But still, Chambers, you know CORMICLOOOKS (C@