Argosy All-Story Weekly, June 13, 1925 — page 18: what you’re looking at

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

A90 don’t you leave me alone and go back to one of those others?” She had risen from her chair and was standing by the table. Slowly the man came over to her, and as he came she stood rigid until they were so close that he looked down into a face from which he could feel the stirring breath. ‘“ Because, you little witch,” he broke out in the strained voice of passion—** because I can’t break your spell! Because there’s something in you that gives the lie to your damned cheap outside. You’ve the makings of a woman, and life hasn’t ever taken hold of you right to shape your moral contours and stiffen your moral fiber. I’m not the man to do it, but I can’t break the tnfatua- tion. I admit it freely.” Her breast was rising and falling rapidly, and although her lips sneered up at him she did not move. He was right, she thought. At times his hold over her emotions was hypnotic. This, in spite of her anger, was such a moment. “And you,” he went rapidly on—‘ you can’t break permanently with me, either, because, though you pretend to hate me, you love me in your heart. You can’t face facts, and you still hope to tie me and throw me and brand me, and marry me—and, so help me God, you shan’t do it!” He broke off with abruptness and stood gasping, and the girl smiled satirically. “Why should I be so keen about marry- ing your” she demanded. “ Because,” he answered, “ although I’m a rotter of sorts, you want me. because there’s something in me that makes an appeal to you. I don’t know what—prob- ably you don’t know what—but it’s there.” “Tf you think I’d marry you,” she said slowly, ‘“‘ ask me and see.” He smiled sardonically and shook his head. “Tm not a candidate,” he told her. Suddenly, in a paroxysm of gusty pas- sion, he caught her and crushed her close. For an instant she relaxed in his arms, then her arms closed around his neck and he found her lips responding to his own. ‘““Ves,”? she whispered, “I do love you. I hate you like hell—but I love you, too.” ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY, “YE just wait a while,’ he said with a deliberate brutality, as he drew away and held her at arm’s !ength. ‘Vl wait until the terms are easier. The time will come.” Cynthia hegan beating at his face and shoulders with her clenched fists. Her breath was coming fast and hot and her lips were drawn up over her white teeth. * You low-life!”’ she screamed. ‘‘ You low- life!” Harrison walked over toward the hall door. He felt that he had been a fool and turned his back for a moment of self- collection. The girl slowly straightened and turned toward the window, which looked off across the grounds where the sunset was giving way to twilight. She stood there panting and shaken, and the attitudes of the two were those of per- sons who have turned their backs on each other in separation. suddenly there was a sharp report, like the blowout of an automobile tire. The girl started and peered through the win- dow with the instinct of determining what had happened. She did not remember any driveway just there where a bursting tire would sound with such distinctness. Then she looked back, her attention challenged by another sound within. It was a groan, and she saw the man who had just held her in his arms crumpled on the floor with two hands clutching at his breast: Those hands became instantly still. The whole body became still. This thing was death, she found herself realizing. Shot! By whom? What had happened? suddenly the hysteria of panic seized upon her and wholly obsessed her. What matter who had shot hime If she was found here, it would be she who mus: suf- fer. She was in his room. She was not registered. Even in the motion picture com- pany she had no friends to whom she was anything but an extra. On her quaking knees by his fallen body she laid an ear to his breast. It caught no sound of heartbeat. In a frenzy of fear she went back for her bag and held her - tiny mirror to his lips. It showed no breath mist—but her test was made in a fury of hurry. Whatever had befallen, she must get comiclooolks @)