Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 5, 1921 — page 44: what you’re looking at

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

B51 rick. It might not be necessary now to pack him off to India in order to separate him from Letty, but time was short in which to reconsider that problem. ~ No, Derrick must not go to India; dis- tinctly his place was here, after all. To carry oy the works without him was too much for her. After he learned about Letty, her day would be over. @ There was scarcely any need for Julia to make up for the part of one who has been taxed ‘to the end of her strength. With her frail body and thin, transparently clear face, she looked it already. Nevertheless, she put on a black dress which increased ‘her ethereal qualities, and powdered her face al- most too generously. She would have liked to smudge in dark circles under her eyes, but had no means or art of achieving such results. She decided not to go back to the works again that day, although it was her habit to do so if Derrick remained. Let him come back and find her ul and tired. In- deed, it was easy enough for her to convince herself that she was on the verge of a break- down, and that this news she had gained by eavesdropping had hastened it. Having achieved the semblance of a wo- man with one foot already in the grave, Julia paid one of her periodical visits to her father. Maud met her brightly with the informa- tion that he had gained wonderfully dur- ing the day. His speech, which had been the greatest worry, was almost normal. “The specialist is coming again to-mor- row,’ Maud whispered. ‘ Dr. ‘Thomas says he wouldn’t be at all surprised if father isn’t much the same as the was before, in Jess than a month. Only he can’t go to the works again for much longer than that, of course.” Julia nodded absent-mindedly. At any other time this news would have thrilled her. ‘“What’s the matter, Jue” Maud said anxiously. “You don’t look very well, dear.” | “Tm feeling rotten,” Julia murmured huskily. ‘I don’t believe I can keep it up much longer.”’ “There! I said it was foolish of you to ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. think you could handle everything alone,” Maud exclaimed. ‘“Well, perhaps it was,” Julia agreed. ‘“ TH speak to Derrick to-night.” She passed on into her father’s room, and sat down beside the great four-poster. Decidedly there was an improvement. He looked more alert; more deserving of his old title of the Iron Man. Rita Carlisle had not finished him yet. > ‘“Maud says you’re so much better,” said as she bent over and kissed the ‘wide- furrowed forehead. “‘ I’m so glad, dear.”’ ‘“ Better, yes,”’ he growled, and there was no mistaking the clearness of his speech. Anybody could have understood him. ‘‘ You can catch what I say now, can’t you, Julia?” ‘But, father darling, 1 always did. ‘T can’t imagine why other people found it difficult—” ‘There were times when you pretended not to,” Sir William said with his old severi- ty when things were not to his liking. “ I’ve been watching you closely, Julia. You've been playing a game with me, although I haven’t got to the bottom of the reason for it. What’s this about your taking Rickey’s place at the Works to begin with?”’ Julia was astounded. Her father had always had full confidence in her. What on earth had she done ‘to forfeit it? He was most unjust. * Do you think I want to take anybody’s place?” she gasped. “ Rickey needed me— he said so himself. He felt he ought to go with his regiment.”’ ‘‘ That’s nonsense. There isn’t a war on now. Dozens of men can fill his place, but there’s no one else to take the burden of Tavenor’s while I’m laid up. You’re too officious, my girl.” Julia rightly surmised that this was not her father’s main grievance. He had a way of Jeading up to one thing by way of an- other. She knew she ought to be glad that he was so much better, but if he was going to begin by expressing ingratitude for her tireless devotion both to his interests and Rickey’s, then she, too, had a grievance. Sir William shifted himself on his elbows to a half-sitting position. The strength of his arms was marvelous. It was.as though CONMICLOOOLKSn CO