Argosy, Vol. 147, No. 1 — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

: o 16 a e+ of OO a eee v - | s Le se ee Se « * —T wy cae and you are acting for me. It vital importance to get in touch with | office, too, as soon as it opens, and W sa ‘Dunn come down here by the “Tl leave word with my own secretary ‘o have that attended to, and I'll get New- bury. There isn’t anything I can say to you now, Mrs. Cayley, but you know how this has hit me! Joe—I can’t realize it! y God, it’s like a nightmare!” _ Lane paused again as though in an effort ) pull himself together, and then added: “Just you try to keep your nerve and carry ‘on until I get there, and don’t do any more talking than you have to. We don’t know what this may mean for all of us.” eer quite understand.” Mrs. Cayley’s tone had hardened: perceptibly. “I think that I shall be able to bear up, at least until “you come. I was sure that I could count on _ “To the end, Mrs. Cayley! {'m going ‘to burn up the roads getting there, and every minute 1s of value now, so unless there is anything else you can suggest for ‘me to atfend to from town here—” Nothing. [ shall wait anxiously for ‘your coming. Good-by.” Mrs. Cayley replaced the receiver, and ‘rising, turned to find Letty standing in the Did you call me, “ns * by ee awe a ma’am? Geoff said the thought he heard you, and I was afraid “maybe you were faint or something.” _ The woman’s sharp features were drawn, put a bright spot of color glowed -in each ek and her eyes were alight with sup- ressec excitement. “YI didn’t call, but I shall want you to ~ come and help me dress immediately,” Mrs. Cayley responded: “Where is Geoffrey? Jr, Hood wishes him to wait here without “vel « ~~ © 1 Sli eee d\ 4a , » 6 J iby - _* ‘* . rf &J left him gettin’ Henry to lie down, ecause I heard ’Zeppa stirrin’ around, and to tell her what—what had happened. yin’ regular hysterics, and won’t be » the kitchen, but I’ve put some a’am, for you’ve got to keep up ey - dismissed the suggestion -——— ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. thought made her realize its wisdom, and telling Letty to bring a cup to her room, she started up the staircase. Om the gallery she encountered the mason sauntering from the direction of Henry Carp’s room. “Dr. Hood will be here at any moment now,” she informed him. “ He wants you to wait here to see him.” Geoff nodded. “Tl be right outside, Mis’ Cayley, and likely see him comin’,” he replied. Passing on to her own room Mrs. Cay- ley was on the point of entering when her daughter’s door further down the gallery flew open and Mildred appeared upon the threshold. She had dressed in evident haste, and her smalJ white face quivered with fear. “ Mother, what is it? I will know the truth! Vera has gone back to her own room to dress, but she told me Uncle Joe was ill, and neither you nor he wanted me to go downstairs, What does it mean?” Mrs. Cayley slowly approached her daughter, but did not touch her. Instead, she looked steadily down into the violet- blue eyes raised to her own, and spoke in a low, clear tone, strangely devoid of any natural tenderness. “T have tried all your life to teach you self-control, Mildred, and the time has come for you to exert it. Your uncle is dead.” The girl’s whole slender body quivered as though under the stroke of a lash, and she caught her breath in a little gasp. “J felt it!’ she whispered. “I knew that something dreadful had come! Mother, how did he die?” “Look over the railing down into the patio and you will see.” There seemed to be calculated cruelty in the coldness of the older woman’s tone. “ Remember, no scenes! We do not know who is responsible for your uncle’s death, but in any event there will be end- less questioning, hideous notoriety. The medical examiner—a representative of the police—is coming, and so is Stoneham Lane ——I have sent for him.” “Why?” Mildred stiffened and seemed to grow inches taller as she drew herself up under the stern, commanding gaze bent upon her. “ What is he to us?” i¢cboo ~