Argosy, Vol. 112, No. 2 — page 59: what you’re looking at

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

EVERYTHING BUT THE TRUTH. 3 225 time and energy this morning to make sure that little Annabel was perfectly safe. Which, thank Heaven, he needn’t do! William smiled gently. “You'd better walk on alone from here,” ne said. “It’s only two blocks after you turn the corner—that’s Griston Avenue. Somebody may have seen us when we were in the car yesterday.”’ ‘““T was trying to ask you to do that,” Annabel said, somewhat breathlessly, and permitted him to help her out of his coat. And then her big, round eyes fastened gravely on him. “ Good-by, Mr.—Mr. Hervey!” she said dubiously. “ Good-by, Mrs. Elton, and don’t lose your nerve,” grinned William. had a crazy experience, but it’s all right. Only remember one thing!” ce Yes?” . “Once we’re neighbors, we'll have to meet all over again for the first time, you know. Nellie ‘ll have to scrape an ac- quaintance with you, or something of the kind, and then we'll be introduced, of course. But until that time we’re total strangers. We never heard of one another. We have never met.” “No! No! Never!” murmured Anna- bel. ‘‘ Because if Jackie ever suspected—”’ For some reason or other, William was not particularly interested in Jackie. He interrupted quite rudely: “Exactly. And we needn’t be seen here talking together. Good-by, little girl, and please try to forgive me.” “There’s nothing to forgive,’ sighed Annabel. She was nodding and backing away now. William slipped his gears into first speed and waited. “Tl start after you’ve turned the corner,” he said softly. Tender slip of womanhood that she was, she was doing that even now. William looked after her and shook his head. From the bottom of his heart he hoped that she was capable of conveying that innocent, necessary falsehood to Jackie in good, con- vincing style when he came home this evening—but doubt rose within him. She was so little, so much of a child. He gazed on soberly as she vanished, 4 Arcosy “We've wisely enough without a backward turn, He let in his clutch and the jarless perfec-~ tion of his roadster was in motion again. And then William pushed out his clutch again and stopped short. She was running back! Yes, eyes bigger than before, but big with pure terror this time, she was coming straight for him. Only the car itself stopped her flight. Her small hands gripped the door. ‘“ Jackie’s back!” she panted. “ Jackie’s back home now, walking up and down our lawn and looking for me!” CHAPTER VIII. FOR JACKIE’S SAKE. VERYTHING, of course, depends up- on the individual view-point when it comes to estimating the importance of any given proposition. Your Bolshevist leader takes small account of embroidered veils, perhaps; but they are life’s chief interest for the fellow who has a fortune invested in their manufacture. Your money baron forgets within five minutes that he has discharged the third assistant cashier; but the cashier himself may consider it a matter of sufficient moment to warrant a farewell step from the end of a secluded dock. So with this thing of Mr. John Elton’s return to Blythedale, hours ahead of his schedule. To William it represented a new, minor phase of the experience, mildly interesting but not of any particular importance. Annabel’s personal world, on the other hand, had turned upside down, had ceased revolving and was now jigging up and down, causing her the most intense and ebvious distress and sending actual radi- ations of fear from every delicate inch of her! ‘“ He’s back! Don’t you understand? He’s back!” she repeated, shaking William’s arm, by way of rousing him to similar ex- citement. William failed to rouse. His smile was very tolerant and soothing. “Yes, of course,” he said. expected, but it doesn’t matter.” “ Doesn’t matter?” “Tt is un-