Argosy, Vol. 112, No. 2 — page 60: what you’re looking at

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

226 “ Certainly not,” said William. “ I don’t invent lies that can be used only at a cer- tain time of day. This one of ours will work just as well in the morning as in the evening.”’ “T wish you wouldn’t grin and try to be funny!” Mrs. Elton said sharply. ‘ I— I wanted time to calm down and think things out and try to understand it all and look like myself before I saw Jackie.” Every second was adding to her excite- ment. Bill Hervey, unsmiling now, shifted nearer to her and spoke very earnestly. “Don’t be absurd, Mrs. Elton. Get some sort of grip on yourself. This isn’t important at all, really. You're the bravest kind of girl and you look very much like yourself. It’s startling to find him here, but it needn’t worry you.” “ But—” Annabel began vigorously. “T’ll back around and go out some other way, so as not to pass the corner here. There’s no need of Jackie seeing this blazing red and possibly remembering it later. That’s the only detail that—” “Tt isn’t the only detail!’’ Annabel cor- rectly hotly. ‘‘ That’s what I’m trying to tell you! I can’t go home like this!” “Like what?” “ Like ¢his—without a coat or a satchel! Jackie isn’t an imbecile, Mr. Hervey. He knows perfectly well that I’d never go any- where to remain overnight without taking a coat and a bag.” Almost audibly, William’s heart slumped! “JT hadn’t thought of that!” he mur- mured. “No, but I thought of it the very second I saw Jackie walking up and down there and looking for me.” William gazed about, frowning. There was a house on the corner, boarded up; there was a young garden back there, be- hind the house of somebody else; there was a boy across the way, delivering groceries. None of these furnished even the hint of an inspiration. “And I know just exactly his state of mind by this time!”’ Annabel hurried on. “He didn’t find me there and he didn’t find any note from me. He called up Aunt Fannie—and by this time he’s just about crazy.” THE ARGOSY. Still William gazed about; still no in- spiration came. “What shall I do?” Annabel quavered piteously. ‘J can’t go home!” “Eh?” William started. ‘ Of course you can go home. You—er—forgot your coat and grip and left them behind.”’ Annabel stamped her foot. “ That’s too silly a lie,” she said angrily. “TI might possibly have forgotten the coat.” “You might just as well have forgotten the grip, too,” William insisted. ‘““Not when it’s up-stairs in our house and Jackie may have found it!” She was a person of moods. Each little wave of anger seemed to be followed by a more pronounced wave of pure grief. Whether he cared to admit it or not, Wil- liam knew that little Mrs. Elton was near a flood of tears by this time. Presently they would flow and—well, something would have to be done. William knit his brows again and then, after a moment, smiled in a wild, grim way. ‘““ Where’s the bag now?” ‘Up in our spare bedroom.”’ “ Whereabouts—in the room, I mean?” “ T left it behind the door. Why?” “Packed?” “Yes, it’s just as I brought it home day before yesterday. Why?” ““ Just idle curiosity,’ William said sadly, as he stepped out of his car. ‘“‘ What does it look like?” Still, there seemed to be something re- assuring about him. Annabel studied him with large eyes which were growing trustful again. “It’s just a nice, brand-new tan leather kit bag, about so long.” “Do you suppose Jackie’s been there?” “ Why—probably—no!”’ “Wait a minute,” said William, and moved toward the edge of the boarded-up house for a view of Griston Avenue, giving the while much the impression of a red Indian stealing around the corner of a large rock for a glimpse of his enemy. That was Jackie, then—that tall, slender young man, bareheaded, who stood upon the Elton lawn and gazed about in search of his vanished bride. in (E@) .OOKS =