Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 4, 1922 — page 157: what you’re looking at

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

DOUBLES AND QUITS, “ Ring for Elspeth,” Mrs. Dundas re- peated, her voice trailing off faintly. Again she made that feeble effort to de- stroy the document, and again she failed. Loraine still hesitated. “Do you want to murder me?” The voice was faint, but the faded eyes behind the glasses seemed to hold terrific power. “Of course, if you won’t let me give you the medicine—” Loraine pushed the bell, and Elspeth was in the room before it had ceased ring- ing. She must have been waiting just out- side the door. ‘Yes, ma’am,” she began hurriedly, throwing a suspicious glance at Loraine. Mrs. Dundas made no mention of her drops. She held out the document with a wavering gesture. ‘“T want—this burned, Elspeth,” she gasped. ‘“‘ At once.” Loraine started forward slightly, but after all, how could she interfere? Mrs. Dundas had a right to burn her own pa- pers if she liked. The supposed niece felt herself go white to the lips as Elspeth took the folded parchment and approached the fireplace with it. Mrs. Dundas’s chair was sidewise to the fire, and she made a futile effort to twist herself in order to see clearly. Elspeth bent down and raked over the glowing coals. Then something hapepned; it was like the flash of a conjurer’s trick. Even Lo- raine, who. was watching tensely, did not see exactly how it was done; but she knew ‘that Elspeth had whipped the docnment she had been ordered to destroy into a pocket, or otherwise out of sight, and the flame which burst. up from the fire came from a twist of newspaper whisked from. the kindling basket on the hearth, Neither did Elspeth want that document to be de- stroyed, and that was ominous, for Els- peth undoubtedly knew its contents, which were probably to. her own disadvantage. “It’s burning, Elspeth?” the old wo- man quavered. Loraine was on the point of denouncing the faithless servant when Mrs. Dundas gave a quick cry, threw out her arms and then fell back limply. ‘“She’s dead,” said Elspeth, grimly mat- ter-of-fact. “I’m not surprised. The doctor said it would come like that.” As the husband of Mrs. Dundas’s next of kin, Peter Tremlett, assumed that he should take possession of her affairs, but Will Agnew — Witcham’s youngest and most officious solicitor — stepped in and proved that the power lay in his hands, Loraine had told Peter about the docu- ment which Elspeth had not destroyed, and they were both in a high state of ex- citement as to what would develop when the will was read. Between them they could not come to an agreement as to why Elspeth had not destroyed the document which obviously her mistress did not wish to survive. The existing will, as every cne knew, was in Elspeth’s favor to such an extent as was almost unheard of. The house would be hers, and something like fifteen hundred pounds a year. She could scarcely hope for more. But there was no knowing. There might have been an ear- lier will leaving everything to. her and cut- ting out the charities. It was possible that Elspeth was in-a position to suppress the last will. Peter and Loraine believed her capable of anything, and after the funeral, when they all foregathered around the big table in the dining-room, they were prepared to accuse Elspeth of criminal treachery. There were present, besides the highly: interested couple, Will Agnew and the head of one of the banks, named as trustee; the minister, and the guardians of the several charities named. Also, there was Elspeth. She sat in a corner dressed in deep mourn- ing; her expression, a little sad, but very, very grim. And then Will Agnew threw his bomb- Shell into this black-clad, long-faced group. No situation could be too, dramatic for the young solicitor. He deeply regretted, he said, having to disappoint the majority of those present, particularly the clergyman and guardians, not to mention Miss McQueen. _ Peter and Loraine leaned forward, shak- ing with excitement. ‘“ Miss McQueen found quite by accident COmicClbooks.cGom