Argosy, Vol. 118, No. 2 — page 87: what you’re looking at

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

THE HOUSE OF-—THE ECHO. and slipped through the space thus made. ‘““ Hey, there, hey! Where yuh goin’?” the dutler wheezed excitedly. He lumbered after the retreating Telowitz and caught him by the coat-tail. “T gotta see that guy Dmitrieff,” snapped the intruder, showing every sign of impatience. ‘A message from the front! His wife’s croaked, ’r sumpin, dook!”’ “No yuh don’t! Yuh couldn’t get in the stoodio when the master’s givin’ a lesson, not if ’is wife an’ fam’ly, was dyin’.”” The butler’s grip tightened on the coat-tail. Telowitz twisted to face his captor and snarled: ‘“‘I got to see ’im, yuh boob! Tl bust in.” “Just you try it, young feller, an’ I'll bust in yer face,” the butler promised, as he relaxed his grasp and towered pugna- ciously over Telowitz. The youth seemed to wilt at this threat. He slunk to the hall bench and, sullenly depositing himself upon it, whined: “ Well, since yer so fussy about it, I guess I'll have to wait for the poor guy..’ ‘Tye a good mind to chuck yuh out on yer head,” commented the glowering but- ler. ‘‘ You’re too fresh, young feller,” Telowitz quailed still more convincingly, whereupon the butler, satisfied that the majesty of authority had been fully upheld, at last decided to let him remain there. So the butler quite dignifiedly made his own exit from the hall, which the erstwhile frightened and severely disciplined youth celebrated with a smile of triumph. Yet, although the imposing guardian of the house reappeared several times, to cast a suspicious eye upon the youth, Telowitz ap- parently had not moved from his attitude of despondency. Finally Telowitz determined to risk the attempt to satisfy his burning curiosity re- garding the lay of the Reitelman house in- terior and its contents. He sped swiftly but noiselessly up the nearest stairs. When he returned, which was shortly—for Telo- witz was expert in making hurried inspec- tions—his face wore a broader smile, as though he had met with unexpected good fortune, and he went promptly and softly out the street door. 237 At first the butler undoubtedly would suppose he had grown tired of waiting. And afterward—if Telowitz was any judge of human nature—the “ dook” would be even less disposed to mention the visit to any one, if he could avoid it. It was unfortunate for Telowitz’s plans, however, that Detective Gerson should have been talking with the patrolman by the park fence. Still worse luck, Gerson had seen him coming from the Reitelman residence, where, in the detective’s opinion, Telowitz did not qualify as a legitimate visitor. Telowitz saw the detective, too, but seemingly failed to hear him shout. The youth boarded the moving surface- car in time ‘to elude his unfriendly acquain- tance; then, by methods with which he was familiar, and ‘by dint of amazing activity, succeeded in leading the detective a most disheartening chase. Furthermore, Telo- witz managed to leave a note for Alan at the accordion factory. This, Alan received, and, soon after din- ner, presented himself at the House of the Echo. As he dropped the violin case by his chair, at the edge of the platform, and somewhat moodily picked at -the strings of his instrument, the Echo—had she observed him—might have suspected that young Dmitrieff was not over-appreciative of this opportunity to add to his meager income. ' Alan played accurately and well enough, yet—as was true of a former occasion—his mind was not on His work. ‘This night, however, he felt apprehensive of nothing or nobody but himself and his own weakness. Adventure had lost its spice. Yet, closer and closer was he being drawn to this ac- cursed House of the Echo—and he seemed powerless to resist. He saw the Echo—sin- gular woman of dark mystery and compel- ling magic—even in his dreams. Where would it all end? He had responded to the encore given his second solo. Grebs already was leading the, little orchestra in the next selection when Alan observed a sharp-faced young fellow enter somewhat hastily. He took a seat immediately below Alan, glanced re- peatedly toward the entrance, then, seem- ing to breathe more easily, settled back in his chair and gave his order to Pat. Gomichook (E@)