The Argosy, Vol. 83 No. 1 — page 113: what you’re looking at

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

HIS ISLE OF REFUGE. “TIt—it is a lie. I-—TI was in love with the girl, it is true,” said Stanbury eagerly. There was fear in his eyes now. “Love!” repeated Saville scornfully. “You forget our many talks since we came into the wilderness together, how you have spoken of women—all women. You have been very candid and confidential and I have got to know precisely the sort of soulless blackguard you are where women are concerned. “You were equally frank with that poor devil Lisle. Good Lord, I wonder he kept his hands off you, weak as he was. Any- how, I believe you had his opinion of you delivered pretty promptly — and you cleared out. The next day his landlord gave him twenty-four hours to quit, and sick and half-dead as he was, he and his daughter had to go.” “T swear—” began Stanbury, but Sa- ville silenced him with a fierce gesture. “And that was done at your instiga- tion,” he went on relentlessly. ‘Oh, I have had the proof. you to know that Davenport Lisle is now in a sanatorium some hundreds of miles from New York. I don’t suppose he will live long. He was too far gone for any hope of a permanent cure, but, at any rate, he will end his days in comfort.” “You put him there?” “At your expense,” answered Saville coolly. “I am presenting you with the bill soon. Now there is another matter —that of Mrs. Van Thrupp.” Coulson Stanbury’s face grew suddenly livid. | “What in perdition have you to do with her?” “Nothing much. My chief concern at the moment is with you, but some few days before you and I left New York Mrs. Van Thrupp took it into her pretty head to interview me with regard to a certain little matter.” “The fool! The cursed, empty-headed little fool!” burst out Stanbury, smiting his fists viciously on the ground. ‘’ll—” He checked himself suddenly and stared across at Saville. It was quite dark now But it may interest. 103 and a soughing wind began to rise among the tree-tops. The fire, slowly conquer- ing the green brush, cast huge shadows which seemed to leap about the two men like goblins, mocking the one in his ex- tremity and the other in his triumph. But Coulson Stanbury had no eyes for these phantoms. He was fascinated by the play of light on the features of the man opposite him, making them those of a grotesque demon, fierce and mirthful by turns. Yet Stanbury knew it was only a mere illusion and that really Saville’s face was as set and inscrutable as Fate itself. “Out with it,” he snarled, “and be quick. I am about fed up with this.” “Just so,’ replied Saville, with mock sympathy. “I can just imagine that. Well, I have not much more to say. Mrs. Van Thrupp informed that she had, very foolishly, she admitted, allowed you to lend her ten thousand dollars to pay certain gambling debts, which she did not wish to come to her husband’s ears. After the transaction was completed, you, with that charming old-world chivalry of yours, pro- posed certain conditions. “Mrs. Van Thrupp, being an honest wife as well as a foolish gambler, declined to entertain your gentlemanly proposals, whereupon you delicately suggested that her husband should be told all and asked to refund you the borrowed money. An old trick, or course. Rich men of your stamp play it every day. Mrs. Van Thrupp was to give you her final answer on your return from this expedition, and, in her despair, she poured out the whole - story into my ears and implored me to use my influence with you on her behalf.” Saville now smiled sardonically. “You see, I was supposed to have con- siderable weight with the great multi-mil- lionaire,” he added. “Well, perhaps those~ who thought so were not altogether in error. Anyhow, I promised Mrs. Van Thrupp that I would do my best.” “Oh, Dll give you a receipt for the ten thousand, if that’s all,” growled Stanbury. “T would have done it anyway. I was only giving the woman a lesson.” Gomichbook (©)