Argosy, Vol. 118, No. 2 — page 48: what you’re looking at

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

198 visit some people in Seattle that afternoon. I—let me think.” ? The first wonder had passed. Hard reali- ties were prodding their way into George’s consciousness again. He favored the pleasantly simmering pots with a last, un- comprehending stare, shrugged his shoul- ders, and made for the dining-room again, with Margery at his heels. ‘“[ give it up,” he said. “I don’t know what it means. Maybe it’s fairies, or maybe aunt’s whole nature changed out there. It looks as if she had returned un- expectedly and cooked dinner for somebody —and perhaps she’s gone off to fetch them. Aunt may own a car now, if she’s capable of all this. Anyhow, none of it alters the fact that we’ll have to get out of here with- out any dallying. Would you like to look around for her up-stairs while I’m tele- phoning the garage?” ‘“T would not!” Margery said flatly. “ And—and hurry, George! If she’s only away or asleep or something, so ‘that we can get away before she finds us!” George Dare picked up the telephone. ‘““ Hello!’’ he said, and paused. ‘“ Hello, operator!—I say, wake up, will you?” He frowned impatiently and waited again. He worked the hook up and down and speke further—while Margery Poole stood and gazed expectantly, eager even for the words that meant the beginning of their escape. And then, after a last effort which all but dislodged the hook, George shook his head, smiled sourly, and set down the instrument again. “Aunt khasn’t had her connected up yet,” he said, meditatively. ‘‘ There’s not so much as a hum on that wire.” ‘ You—you can’t get Arborville at all?” “Not that way—not without writing a few letters and having some linemen sent out here, and so on. Don’t get excited, Margery. We—” “ How can I help it?” Margery cried, her voice rising. ‘‘ We’ve got to get away before Arthur comes, aunt or no aunt, car or no car! I’ve been thinking; I was think- ing while you were trying to telephone. It sounded so all right this afternoon, when you were telling me about it—clever, and everything. But now that we’re here, I THE ARGOSY. — see how it must look to him, if he catches us trying to get away. He'll simply know that there is something between us!” (<4 What?”’ Yes, and he’ll think that we’re trying to play some ghastly, unspeakable joke on him—you having me here to greet him when he comes with another woman! And that we got scared at the last moment and decided to run, and—”’ ‘Well, that’s a very novel idea, I must say,” George said tartiy. ‘‘ Will you please try to keep cool, Margery, and let me find the way out?” “Tl try, but—” Margery quivered. “Coming right down to brass tacks, there’s just one way; we'll have to walk! The people next door have a car—or used to have one. I don’t know them very well, but Ill identify myself and borrow the thing. The house is nearly half a mile from here. Can you make that in the mud?” ‘George, I’d gladly walk from here to San Francisco in mud up to my neck if it would get us out of here before Arthur comes and finds us!” “We'll do that, then. It’s a beastly stunt to put you through, but I suppose you’d rather do that than wait here alone for me?” . “Sha’n’t we--sha’n’t. we start now, George?” Margery asked. With a sigh, he would have done so much to aid her, tucked the thick cape about Margery Poole and turned up his own col- lar again. 3 At the very happiest, it meant a thorough soaking, with all that might entail for one of Margery’s rather frail physique. And the people next door might be away—or they might have sold their car—or they might refuse to remember George—or Aunt Amanda and the new motor he hazily as- sumed her to possess might pick them up along the road or—George summoned a smile, and buttoned his coat, as he pushed aside these possibilities and several new ones which occurred to him. They were chances that would have-to be taken. : ‘Cheer up, my child; it will not be so very bad,” he said reassuringly. ‘“ In fact, I don’t know that it isn’t the best thing Go .OO ANG S (E@)