The Argosy, April 1912 — page 138: what you’re looking at

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

124 THE ARGOSY. when Willings was away, sick, Mr. Bar- rington asked me to take his place. There was no money staked that time, I know.” ‘““My father asked you to play?” “Yes. I understand cribbage. My step- father taught me.” “Have you seen Sim Galt since my father died?” “Once—at my stepfather’s house. That was two weeks ago to-day. This is Wednes- day.” - “Did he bring the carpet-bags?” ‘“T didn’t see them. I was not there when he came in the afternoon. When I got home, later, he was in the dining-room with my stepfather. They had supper together, and Delia had only just cleared the table when Willings arrived. My stepfather got out the cards and cribbage-board.”’ “Willings is still friendly with your step- father, then?” “TI don’t know whether they care much about each other. But, you see, Willings is a good cribbage-player, and they wanted him for the game.” “What a crazy business it all seems to be!” muttered Fred. “JT had had supper in the kitchen with Delia,” Lucille went on. ‘My stepfather asked if I was there, and then told me I must join in the game. They needed me to make up the four players. I didn’t want to do it, but I knew I must obey. So we played till nearly twelve o’clock. Then Sim Galt went away and I haven’t seen him since.” Fred was about to ask Lucille more about this cribbage playing, when the telephone- bell broke in and made him forget every- thing else. He snapped the receiver off the hook and yelled “ Hello!” He listened intently to the message that came over the wire, while Lucille watched him and wondered what it was. She sur- mised that it was Jim McKee, because she knew he was to telephone about this time. ‘“What’s that?” bawled Fred into the transmitter. “Keep a sharp eye on Sim Galt, eh? Why, I was just talking about him to Miss Steiner, who is in the office. But how am I to keep an eye on a man I don’t know where to find?” “Mr. Barrington!” interrupted Lucille. “Hold the wire!” shouted Fred into the phone. ‘Then, to the girl: “What is it, Lucille?” “T was going to say that when Sim Galt was leaving my stepfather in the hall of our house two weeks ago, I was in the dining- room. But I heard Sim say ‘ All right, Mr. Steiner. Ill be here at the regular time for another hand at crib. That was a good game to-night.’ Then he went out.” ‘What do you make from that?” queried Fred. ‘T think, when he said the ‘ regular time,’ he meant two weeks from that day—just as 1f Mr. Barrington were still alive.” “T see,’ cried Fred, banging the table with his fist. ‘This is Wednesday, and he’ll be at your stepfather’s house to-night.” “That’s what I think,” assented Lucille. Fred Barrington grabbed the telephone again and bellowed: ‘“Hello, Jim! I believe we can get Sim Galt to-day. Could you and Professor Shaw come over to the office? I don’t like to ask him, but—eh? What? Hello!” There was a pause while Jim McKee said something. ‘Then Fred shouted back: “Thanks very much, old man. The pro- fessor, too. He’s a brick! All right! You'll both come straight to the factory, then? Ill wait in the office. Good-by!” He hung up the receiver and laughed joy- ously as he turned to Lucille. ‘“They’re coming over,” he announced. “By Jove, Lucille! Sim Galt will have to play a good hand at something besides crib- bage if we don’t make him give up all he knows about that No. 1!” CHAPTER XIV. WHERE, THE CARPET-BAGS WENT. “IT WILL stay till they come, if you'll permit me,” said Lucille. “There’s a heap of mail on the table. Couldn’t you look it over and let me write the answering letters while we are waiting? ” “That’s awfully good of you, Lucille,” Fred answered with a pleased smile. “I was wondering how I’d ever get through. But don’t you think you’d better go home and report to your stepfather?” “TIT will do that when Mr. McKee and Professor Shaw have been here. They may want to ask me some questions about Sim Galt.” “That’s true. But you would have time to go to the house, on the car, and back, before they arrive. I don’t want you to have more trouble with your stepfather.” ‘““No fear of that. He never flew at me before as he did last night. He may apolo- comicloooKks CO