The Argosy, August 1914 — page 117: what you’re looking at

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

A SMILING NEMESIS. artistic impulses are sure to attract you to each other. Don’t you think they will? ” “TI do’ agreed Lord Lastermere, with a bright smile. Mrs. Grelthorpe and Mrs. Furbush Challis looked at him admiringly. The hostess was about.to take a deeper plunge into art when her attention was suddenly at- tracted to her husband. The butler had approached him, bent over his chair, and whispered something in his ear. “See me? Did you say they wished to see me?” asked Grelthorpe, puzzled. Two or three people besides his wife looked toward him curiously. “ Beg your pardon, sir ’—the butler spoke with a little deprecating cough— “beg your pardon, sir, there’s two of them outside and wants most particular to see you, and wouldn’t give me any message. One gave me this.” The man handed over a small card. Grelthorpe took it, read it. ‘Then he started violently and turned white as a sheet. “ What—why—” For a moment all control seemed to leave him. With an iron effort he mas- tered himself and stared again at the card. His wife had seen the start, the sud- den pallor; also, several of the guests, scenting something out of the ordinary, were gazing toward the host. “What is it, David?” asked Mrs. Grelthorpe. “ Nothing.” He spoke quietly, but it was plain that to do so cost him an- other iron effort. “ Please excuse me just for a minute,” he went on. “ There’s a man outside whom [ shall have to see for a moment. It—he— It’s very important — very important, indeed. Matter of business.” He bowed and walked from the room. The hum of the dinner, broken a moment by the bizarre interruption, was gaily resumed. Striding across the hall, David Grel- thorpe reached the front door, which was thrown open by a servant. 107 Outside, partly concealed in the darkness, stood two men. One was tall and spare, the other squat and thick-set. ‘What nonsense is this?” David Grelthorpe began angrily, striding across his threshold and coming thus close to the taller of the two men. Then he met the other’s eyes—young man’s eyes, gray, good-humored, un- flinching. David Grelthorpe staggered back a step and another; he kept himself from crumpling in a fall by flinging out a hand against the side of the door; even as it was, he careened violently against it and stood, quivering, staring’ wildly at the tall young man. The two men outside the door stood in silence for a few seconds. Then the young and tall one, advancing into the square of light thrown from the chan- delier in the front hall, was fully re- vealed to the master of the house. David Grelthorpe leaned for a few more seconds against the door with- out uttering a syllable—seemingly un- able to utter one. Then the iron-jawed and steely-eyed millionaire, white and shaking, gasped, half to himself: “Tt is! By God, that’s who it is!” CHAPTER - ih INTO SOCIETY. THE young man smiled an engaging smile, “You are right. It certainly is,’’ he agreed in the most cheerful tones. ‘‘I can scarcely wonder at your melo- dramatic exclamation, your obvious surprise. Tell me—do I look well? Have the years improved my manly face and form? Let me see—ten years —it is ten years since we met.” He took a step forward into the light, peering mockingly into the stu- pefied eyes of Grelthorpe; from the hallway inside the servant, still hold- ing the door open, gaped at the strange scene. CORnNICLOOOKS (C@)