The Argosy, Vol. 84 No. 1 — page 46: what you’re looking at

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

- 36 THE of pure terror—and Dr. Bowen trotted down-stairs contentedly. He would not weep for long! CHAPTER XIV. THE LUCK S° the butler was settled, at any rate! Dr. Jim, pausing again on the second floor, gave another minute to listening before he hurried toward the door of the girl’s musty room. She was walking about now, and he tiptoed to the crack and looked in anx- iously. She was smiling, too, and her color was up again—and as she turned toward him Dr. Bowen’s perplexed frown came back. Was she demented? Could any one with a smile like that be demented? Why, her eyes were perfectly rational, too, and he could have sworn that she was thinking pleasantly and coherently. He stepped into the room quite sud- denly—and he saw that he had erred. The eyes, on closer viewing, were quite vague and startled. They looked at him wonderingly as she asked: “Can we go now?” “We can go in another half hour if I have as good luck down-stairs as I’ve had up,” Dr. Jim answered. ‘“‘ You were going to sit still?” “Was 1?” the girl murmured, return- ing to her chair. ‘‘ Very well.” “And this time I want you to remain quite still and leave the door closed, what- ever you may hear. You'll do that?” “Oh, yes, I'll do that,” Miss Catterson answered monotonously, nodding gravely. * And then we can go?” | “Then we can go,” Dr. Jim sighed, moving into the corridor again. As to this latter part of his idea, which dealt with two men rather than one, he was in some doubt. ‘The essentials were all on hand, for the evening papers still lay in the drawing-room and there were plenty of matches still in his box. Dr ‘Bowen, after a slow and pensive descent OF BEING A DOCTOR. ARGOSY. through the tomblike stillness, secured the evening papers and moved away through the dining-room and into the butler’s pantry. At a guess, the little stairway in here would lead directly down to the kitchen. It lay a good thirty feet to the rear of the other stairway, too, which suggested a room between the kitchen itself and the billiard-room at the front. The adven- turer, therefore, thanking his stars for the rubber-heel habit, descended into the blackness, and, ever so softly, lighted a match. He had guessed well, indeed! This was the kitchen and the door over that way led into a storeroom, for it was open and he could discern the mistiest hint of shelves. And this door at the side let into the basement hallway, and at the far end of it the light from the billiard-room shone brightly. Listening, he caught a_ raspingly hummed popular air, and above it: “Come on! Come on, kid! Standing pate” The humming ceased. “Gimme two cards!” said the hummer. They were busy. Dr. Jim asked noth- ing better. Even the humming was re- sumed, which meant that he could scratch | two or three more matches if necessary, One, however, did the trick. Dr. Bowen, having laid his paper on the floor and lighted all four corners, watched the bright flame leap up for a second or two, sped soundlessly back to the pantry and to the forward stairs again; and then, with a considerable clatter, raced down and straight into the billiard-room with: “What’s burning down here?” “Hey, bo!” the chauffeur said. “ Get back to your kennel up there: or—” “That be damned!” Dr. Bowen cried hotly. ‘‘ Do you suppose we’re going to stay up there and be cooked alive and—” “Say! On the level, the old dump js on fire!” the smaller man cried, almost as one word, for he had stepped into the hallway. ‘It’s what?” the chauffeur snapped, CORMICLOOKS (C@)