Argosy All-Story Weekly, January 13, 1923 — page 73: what you’re looking at

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

- great horror of jail. i Te ae gi I ie See, ee Fe oe THE LEDBURY FIST. ‘“T must go down to Ravenstoke,” Dick said. ‘‘ There are things which must be attended to.” Jimmy looked a little hopeful. ‘Oh, you’re going to Ravenstoke before —-before you plunge into solitary confine- ment?” “Yes. Ill let you know in plenty of time,” Dick replied. The doctor did not understand this veiled allusion. ‘“‘ You are most unwise— most rash,” he said severely. ‘‘ If anything happens to you, please don’t blame me.”’ ‘““T wish to heaven something would hap- pen to him,” Jimmy murmured sotto voce. Dick said he would go down to Raven- stoke the next day. Jimmy Creigh retired to his box of a study and wrote to Evelyn. He had a He had never been confined in one in his life and the idea was sickening. His family would hate it, too. This may read as though intended for a joke, but it was anything but that to Jimmy Creigh. The letter he wrote to Evelyn was composed with the main intention of keep- ing himself out of further trouble. He wrote desperately. Did she, with her sweet, gentle nature, desire to drive Dick Ardell to suicide? ‘“ To-morrow—” he wrote, ‘‘ which is Tues- day, when you will get this letter, Dick is going down to shut up Ravenstoke. I hap- pen to know that he is making a new will to-day. He is not quite in his mind, I think. By your cruel desertion of him over such a little thing, you have broken his heart and blasted his life. He has as good as told me that he doesn’t care about living any more, and the doctor is terribly worried -over him. Whatever you decide to do, you mustn’t let him know I’ve written to you. He would never forgive me, but I am so fond of Dick that I can’t help doing what little I can to prevent a catastrophe. Per- haps you could get word to the housekeeper at Ravenstoke to put away that revolver Dick keeps in a drawer in his dressing-room. A man in his mood shouldn’t be subjected to unnecessary temptation.” Jimmy’s round face was bathed in per- spiration as he composed this letter. In a postscript he thoughtfully added the time Seon i sth es 9 oe ee —X tw Sy ; —— S Se 505 of the train by which Dick would arrive at Tunbridge Wells. Evelyn received the letter at breakfast the next morning. Fortunately, her mother had not yet come down and her father was absorbed in the paper. He followed the development of the Kensington murder mystery as avidly as a morbid flapper. ‘ They’ve got that butler!” he exclaimed. “I knew all along he had something to do with it. They’re holding him on a charge of theft. Some of the jewelry’s been re- covered, but not the pendant she was wear- ing.” Evelyn paid no attention. Jimmy Creigh’s letter and it had upon her the effect which he hoped for. Mrs. Harland bustled in, consciously over-cheerful, and Evelyn put Jimmy’s let- ter out of sight. “Well, my darling, and what are you do- ing to-day?” The remark was not ad- dressed to her husband and he knew it. “It’s such a lovely day—a perfect June day, all sunshine and flowers. Good to be alive, isn’t it?” ‘“T hadn’t thought of doing anything spe- cial,” Evelyn replied. ‘Oh, but you must. I can’t have you moping all the time. What will people say? First thing you know, somebody will be spreading a rumor that Dick Ardell jilted you.” Evelyn hung her head and tears glittered on her eyelashes. “ Leave the gel alone, can’t you?” erum- bled Thomas Harland. 4 Evelyn got up, excusing herself from the table. She had finished her breakfast. “1 think [ll go over to Tull’s and see if he’s got any Settings to spare of those fancy Leghorns.” Evelyn, as the prospective bride of a gen- tleman farmer—until recently—had been interesting herself in poultry. “Tf you’ll wait an hour or so, I'll go with you,” said her mother. “I’m going to cycle,” Evelyn objected. ‘My darling, you'll get fearfully hot!” ‘““T want to cycle, mother.” Thomas Harland laid down his paper. ‘Why can’t you let the gel do what she - wants?” he demanded. COMIC OOO KS She had read. (E(o) ee a ae Aa