The Argosy, Vol. 81, No. 4 — page 139: what you’re looking at

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

3175 4. “No, no, of course not,’’ Lansing has- tened to say, ‘only I— I hadn’t heard—” “Hadn’t heard of his engagement to Dorothy Nealis? Well, no one else— I mean it hasn’t been announced yet. Why do you act so queerly?”’ “T didn’t know you had a brother,” he replied weakly. “Well,” she smiled, “now you know, I want you to meet him.” Suddenly Lansing was smitten with the thought that while this girl was not play- ing with his love she was nevertheless en- gaged in using her brother for purposes of espionage. He resolved to have c thorough clearing up of the entire affair, both for her sake as well as his own, to say nothing of Granger’s and the girl the officer was to marry. “Will you please go at once into the con- servatory and wait for me there?” he said. “Go get your brother and take him, too. Please do it, Helen, and don’t wait to ask questions. Ill join you both by the palms in a moment.” He hurried away before she could ask him a question and approaching Nealis and his sister he stopped them in the middle’ of their dance, and led them mysteriously to the conservatory. “What’s the idea?” grumbled Nealis, who had just entered into the spirit of the dance. “Tl tell you both in a second—just as soon as Captain Granger and his sister ar- rive. Here they are now.” They were all gazing inquiringly at Lansing, who began to speak as soon as the formality of introducing him to the officer was concluded. He related the story of his first meeting with Helen Granger and ran rapidly through a recital of the various thrilling events that had subsequently oc- curred. When he had concluded Granger smiled. “All of this my sister told me,” he said. Nealis remarked he had heard it all be- fore. Dorothy Nealis, to whom the tale was new, alone seemed interested. “Well, now I want to tell you what you may not have heard,’ Lansing went on. “This whole thing is an espionage game against our country. Helen is mixed up in the thing and I intend to stop her, because —well, because I feel I have the right, under the circumstances.” Helen and her brother exchanged glances and then broke into a laugh. “Tt is not the time for laughter,” Lansing 9 A 705 continued, flushing angrily. “It is time for you, Helen and Captain Granger, to look about and see the danger you are in. I am credibly informed that Captain Granger has been induced to part with certain papers—” Helen’s increasingly loud laughter caused Lansing to stop short; he was actually glar- ing at her. “Jack,” she began, “I—I suppose we had better—” “Better what?” asked her brother. “TI suppose,” went on the girl, “we had better tell all.” Her face grew sérious. ‘TI don’t know what you’ll think, Stewart; I’ve been afraid to tell yow. because—well, be- cause I don’t think you'll like me as well after you kgow.” “Well, for Heaven’s sake, tell me, will you please, Helen!” implored Lansing. “Say,” cried Nealis and his sister, as though the thought had suddenly occurred to them.. “You two act as*thought you were engaged, too.” ‘Perhaps we are,” blushed Helen. “We'll all know later as to that.” Then she began to tell her story. CHAPTER XII. THE MAN IN THE BUSHES. “s you see, we are army people,” Helen began, “‘and, as a consequence, not blessed with great wealth. But mother had a fair income, which was depleted by the fall in certain stocks since the beginning of the European war. Not that she did not have enough to live on comfortably; but, you know, a daughter is rather an expen- sive luxury.” ‘““Yes,”’ said Nealis emphatically, grimac- ing at his sister, who playfully pulled his ears. “And I did not feel I could ask her to make sacrifices for me in the way of clothes, and—and, well, all the things we girls love. It was just about then that my mother’s cousin-in-law, Count Apponnetti, who is in- terested in all sorts of things, came to me with a proposal to go into the moving pic- ture business.” Lansing started, and the girl returned his gaze furtively, as though fearing the effect of what she was about to say. Neverthe- less she continued bravely. “T couldn’t tell mother, of course; she would have been utterly shocked. And yet they promised to pay me so well that I COPMICLOOKS (C@)