Argosy, Vol. 147, No. 1 — page 39: what you’re looking at

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

return, he stepped toward her with a glad cry’and caught her into his arms. “Oh, my dear, my dear,” he almost choked, “ how you’ve worried me, and how I love you! TI didn’t know how much until I waited for you and worried about you.” He held her tight and kissed her. Then, almost as an afterthought, he added: “You do Jove me, don’t you?”’ She wriggled out of his arms with a sound that was half laugh, half cry. “ That’s a funny question to ask after what I’ve just let you do to me. Do you think I’d let any man I’d known such a short time hold me in his arms and kiss me if I didn’t love him? Oh, my dear, yes, I’m afraid I do love. you.” “ Afraid you do?” “Afraid, yes! But we must hurry; we haven’t much time. Didn’t you notice my chauffeur was in riding clothes, too?”’ ‘“T didn’t notice anything but you, dear, and—”’ ‘She held hin1 off. “Wait! It’s wonderful to lie in your arms like that, but we haven’t the time. He’s only gone to put the car in the garage around the block; then he’ll be back to ac- company me on my ride to see that I don’t meet anybody. That’s why I couldn’t meet you the day before yesterday. My father’s got on to our meetings somehow—” “Your father! But you let me think—” “ T was an orphan earning my own living. [ know. Well, I’m neither. I lied to you because—because, Randy, I was so tired of having men around me who wanted a chance to marry my father’s dollars. And the opportunity of meeting some one who didn’t know who I was and whom T liked from the first—” “Did you, darling?” “I certainly did, from the very first, when you fought for poor little Bebe—” ““ Bebe?” “That’s the squirrel’s name. It’s a she- Squirrel. It’s back from the Bide-a-Wee, all healed, and it has a little house all its own on my window sill. But, goodness, I can’t stop to tell you any more this morn- ing, when I don’t know how long he'll take. I mustn’t let his suspicions be aroused.” “ Whose?” eae but sone sek ae a ct re watch me. You see, father’s for bic to have any men calling on me e year, as I am not of age. But, J I can’t stay here any longer, I’m afra here to-morrow morning at the ate and I'll try to tell you more. We'll k n how long it takes him to garage the ¢ then.” He caught her in his arms. This ti hers went about his shoulders and she I up her face to be kissed. Then, wi little laugh of happiness, she was gone. | 3 It was not until several mornings had passed that Randolph Beatty gatheraael the true state of affairs. It took some ments ‘or Cormne to admit that her father had b justified in investigating the antecedents 0 of her previous suitors, although there been nothing “ between ” any of them a herself. ee He “ But, of course, he couldn’t know ee she admitted.“ And now he looks on as such a fool that he simply won’t alle = ‘f me to have any man calling. As pa: aic id, | he’s found out about our meeting, although, | somehow, he thinks you’re a bie name d- Sylvester Donaldson, who’s been trying to s force himself upon me. “So I didn’t let on—just let him anaes e you were. And now he’s gone and hires : another detective to watch the house a grounds, to see that I don’t slip out 4 out any one knowing about it. And fies this one, Evans, to drive me everywhere a Pe - a i 7 ee ns the ride behind me. - Ne : “I’m not allowed to go anywhere that ; e can’t wait for me with the car, and no mar i is allowed to ride in it with me. My fa 2am ther’s serious, dearest. He swears if I don’ n't ee obey him in this he'll pack me off tes ‘ convent until my twenty-first birthday, ¢ I’m not twenty yet. So this is our or chance of seeing each other for a few 1 ne 1 ments every morning.” | “No,” said Randolph Beatty grimly. - That’s no way to go on with our love. Why, you’d soon tire of the man who hadn’t_ €ven enough manliness to be able to see I is girl in the open. No. You've got ee mi arry me. >» “e M ! ‘. arry you! But comic ~ ¥ D00ks. com Pie wt ee ‘