The Argosy, Vol. 75, No. 4 — page 74: what you’re looking at

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

776 escape her. Her family pride and her love of beauty and elegance were both insulted by it, and Radford could un- derstand that she was a bewitching but avenging goddess come to punish her uncle’s persecutors. The loss of his estate had meant more to little Natalie than Uncle Phil- lipe ever guessed. From her French convent she had sailed to America, be- lievying that she was to be reinstated in the same luxurious environment she had known as a child in her father’s home. She was orphaned and depend- ent on Uncle Phillipe, and he met her at the dock and took her to a cheap New York lodging-house. Within a few days she had seen she must turn her pretty convent arts to bread-and-butter service. She had made ribbon flowers and fed Uncle Phillipe while her own soul starved. Alice Thorpe had met her in a hos- pital. Then they had taken a small flat together, where Uncle Phillipe became a permanent visitor, forever reciting his wrongs and telling of the wonder- ful house and estate from which he had been driven. Uncle Phillipe op- portunely died before he quite wore his little niece out. Radford went toward the Stone House with mingled feelings and his common sense quarreling. He had no business putting himself within the electrically stimulating influence of Miss Bitter Sweet. His mother’s let- ters raged at his absence. She com- plained that Bess was visiting her pique at him on her, and was only as atten- tive to her as Mrs. Hetherington forced her to be. Ted knew that his letters to Bess were far from loverlike. He had hint- ed repeatedly at his wish to stay in the West, hoping that she would be im- pelled to object and to release him from the engagement. As time went on and she wrote friendly notes, but did not offer to break off, he became convinced that she would insist upon the consummation THE ARGOSY. . of their plans, even if he wrote her exactly how he was situated. But all of his disturbing thoughts slid out of his mind as he approached the door of the Stone House. A mere door became a wonderful thing. Be- hind its inexpressive wood it impris- _oned a creature with the power to He knocked and She might not be at create his heaven. held his breath. home. “ce O-h! 39 Round-eyed and round-mouthed, a vivid little face looked out through the crack at him. “Isn't this your day at home?” he asked. Her eyes shone and the dimple was on duty. Ted looked as eager as he felt to be inside the door. He forgot Bess as if she never had been. “Ma tante is not here,’ she ex- plained shyly. “Then I'll have to come again—if [ may,” he said, appreciating her def- erence to conventions, but disgusted with ‘conventions in general. “Ma tante weel return soon,” was the suggestive little sentence that came through the crack. Radford turned quickly.’ was shut in his face. “Tl wait at the spring!” he called with restored courage. | He went back down the trail. He waited—an hour. It seemed a year. Then he started in on the second hour and tried to convince himself it was a minute, for the low-dropping sun re- proved him. A. slight sound reached him. He stiffened to attention, but carefully kept from looking round. “T weesh to show you something,” she said in most businesslike tones. She had debated about coming. Miss Thorpe had insinuated and _ scolded and begged to some effect—while the rich young adventurer was not in the neighborhood. Now she held out a little tin-type which she had seized as an excuse for her coming. Radford leaped up at her first word. The door com El NOOK (E@)