Argosy All-Story Weekly, December 2, 1922 — page 48: what you’re looking at

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

518 know nothin’. As for the gal, she’s a little thoroughbred. I’m kinder dependin’ on her more than any o’ the others.” “What’s her status in the household?” inquired Fenwick. “ She’s the daughter of an old partner of Willmer’s. When her paw died he was busted, and Willmer promised to take keer o’ the gal. She’s full o’ spunk, though, and independent as kin be. Insisted on earnin’ her livin’, took a secretarial course in some school, an’ now she’s Willmer’s right-hand man. The old man’s crazy about her, and it’s the only decent thing I’ve noticed about him.” “Treats her pretty nice, does he?” quizzed Fenwick. ‘“ Like a daughter. ©’ course she goes to his office every day, but she has her own car, and he don’t deny her a thing. Oh, yes, he does—jest one. Seems the girl was studyin’ for the operatic stage before her dad cashed in, an’ she’s crazy to continue her studies. She don’t stand much chanst, though, with two of ’em discouragin’ her.” “Who are the two?” demanded Fen- wick. “ Willmer an’ young Otis King. Will- mer thinks the environment would be bad for her, an’ young King’s afraid she'll fall head over heels in love with a career.” “'H’m,” mused Fenwick, a momentary shade passing over his face; “ so that’s how the land lies. Nice chap, King. Where did you get all this information, Seth?” “ Some from the gal, but most of it from Riggs. Riggs is more or less human when you get to know him. Riggs sez Miss Ca- rewe has a wonderful voice. She sings at little musicales once in a while.”’ “ How does Willmer feel about that?” “Tt don’t know about that,” confessed Boyden, “ but I'll find out in the mornin’.” ‘“* Please do. How did Miss Carewe know who I was .when I entered the room to- night?” ‘‘ She didn’t,” grinned Seth. ‘ She thinks you’re John Bell. Y’ see she answered the telephone when you called from Kirke’s place, and when we finished talkin’ I told her you was my boss. She wanted to know all about you, so I told her you were an expert telephone man and would clear up ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. this trouble they’ve been havin’ in no time at all.” ‘““ Hope I don’t disappoint her,” observed Fenwick. ‘‘ What else have you learned?” ‘Nothin’ much. Shortly before nine o’clock I was talkin’ to Willmer, an’ the phone rang. I coaxed him to answer it, an’ at the same time I cut in with a test set. It sounded like a darky talkin’. ‘Ah’m askin’ is you goin’ to do the right thing, Mr. Willmer? Better had!’ sez the feller. At that Willmer slammed the re- ceiver on the hook, an’ by the time I took it off again the call was lost. Willmer was hoppin’ mad because I listened in.” “Don’t worry about that,” counseled Fenwick. “TI won't,” promised the little man. ‘Now, tell me about the murder.” Boyden drew himself up on the bed and listened spellbound while the young crimi- nologist gave a thrilling account of the events at Kirke’s residence. He hung upon every syllable, gloried in the more baffling details, and spent considerable time exam- ining the letter file and the small object which Fenwick had found in it. “ Queer thing, ain’t it, Charlie? Jest be- fore I came away I was regrettin’ the fact that we didn’t have a murder case instead of plain, ordinary blackmail. Now we've got both. Do you aim to handle the Newtown end of it alone?” “T’m through with Newtown, Seth. I always do the important thing first. Be- sides, Corson is at Newtown, and while he’s officially out of his territory, I know he won’t leave the Pendleton Kirke case until he has the answer. I’m satisfied with that arrangement, because it will keep him out of our way. So far as we’re concerned, the answer is in New York.” “It’s a great shame,” remarked Boyden plaintively. ‘‘ First murder case I’ve been on, an’ I ain’t even seen the corpse! Well, I s’pose it can’t be helped. What am I to do in the mornin’?” “Youre going to be pretty busy,” ad- vised Fenwick. ‘ First, I want you to ar- range to have all service observed from the telephone in this house and at King’s place at Forest Hills. Have the chief operator © keep special records. Next, see the River- Gomichbooks com