Argosy, Vol. 111, No. 1 — page 170: what you’re looking at

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

160 THE in open-mouthed astonishment. ‘‘ So you have a hand in this, too, have you!” he said to the young man, who up to noon that day had been engaged to marry his daughter. ‘IT thought I forbade you ever to come into this house!” Bob tried to shake himself free from the grasp of the policeman. ‘Who wants to come into your house? Somebody ‘ll pay for this damn outrage,” Bob retorted sourly. “Turn ’em loose,” Dunham ordered the police. ‘I'll have to get at the bottom of this in my own way.” The mystified gendarmes somewhat reluc- tantly released their prisoners; Dunham turned to his late prospective son-in-law. “T’m not going to waste words on you. Take your bandit friends and clear out.” “That fellow is not my friend,” said Bob, pointing to Kenneth. “ Here I was trying to do vou a service. Next time I'll know better. Saw him go into the house; knew it was for no good purpose, so we were lying in wait for him. Figure it out for yourself. I’m through with you and the rest of your family. Come on, Lester!”’ “No, you don’t! Let’s get this straight. What have you to say about this, young man?’’ Dunham asked Kenneth. But Kenneth was saved from answering. Flying down the stairs came the girl, her dress in disarray and her midnight hair tousled about in beautiful disorder. When she caught sight of the room full of blue: coats she screamed. ‘‘ Helen!” shouted her father. ‘‘ By the Lord Harry, I'll bet you are at the bottom of this.” She ran to him. ‘Send them away,” she whispered, indicating the policemen. ‘‘ Gentlemen,” said Mr. Dunham, to the guardians of the peace, who stood by, an interested audience, “this appears to be strictly a family affair. I suppose that darn burglar-alarm worked only too well. Much obliged for what you’ve done. I'll not forget it.” And he bowed them out. ‘Now tell me all about this little mix- up.” ‘Bobby will have to go first,” said the girl determinedly. ‘‘ He’s not to become a member of this family after all.” ARGOSY. Complications had come so rapidly that by now Mr. Dunham decided not to become - unduly excited by any new development, so he merely smiled grimly and pointed in the direction of the door. Bob and his com- panion made a silent exit. ‘“Now are you ready to enlighten me on the strange events ef this evening?” asked Mr. Dunham. ‘Well, you see,” began the girl, “ Bobbie and I had our last quarrel to-day. He had the effrontity to tell me I could not go on the stage—”’ ‘““Go on the stage?” echoed her father. “What in the—” ‘No, father, don’t interrupt. Mr. Sam- uels is to let me understudy the leading part, and I’m going to have an interest in the production; invest some money in the show —‘be the angel,’ they call it.” ‘Well, we'll let that pass for the time be- ing. But that does not explain why I find Kenneth Howard here looking over the plans of his fellow competitors. “Oh, that’s not his fault. It’s the fault of your old burglar-alarm. Bobby saw us dining together and got jealous and chased us all the way home in a taxicab, and I was going to shut off the burglar-alarm so he”? “Us? He?” questioned her father. ‘““Him and me,” announced the girl, pointing to Kenneth. ‘Where did you meet my daughter?” Mr. Dunham asked Kenneth. ‘“ At the theatrical office,’ Kenneth an- swered. ‘“ Are you going on the stage, too?”’ “No,” replied Kenneth. ‘I was there on a little investigation I was making and—??. ‘What sort of an investigation?” “T’d rather not say, sir,” said Kenneth. ‘Out with it,” ordered Mr. Dunham. Kenneth rather shamefully pulled a fold- ed page of a newspaper from his pocket, and handed it to Mr. Dunham: SAYS BLONDES ARE MORE CAPABLE AND EFFICIENT THAN BRUNETTES read Mr. Dunham aloud, and he glanced through the article. He found it difficult to keep the corners of his mouth from GommiGcboo SS (CO)