Argosy All-Story Weekly — 'The Metal Monster' — page 142: what you’re looking at

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

136 I tell you. No, of course you want to shield him; that’s what I’m trying to do by calling you up. | ‘““ Now, here’s what we'll do, Dora. I’m ‘sending him home in a taxicab, and I'll tell the man to stop out on the side street by the back door. Get it? All right. You be there to meet him—he’s in armor, and pretty unsteady, so you may have to steer - him—and sneak him straight up to his room. Got that, too? Straight up, and as quick as you can, and then unstrap the tin- ware and leave him. “ Yes, I know it is, Dora—horrible! But we can’t gain anything by letting his father know. Now, will you sure be down and sneak him up? That’s fine, then. Yes, in about five minutes, I think.” | He rang off, with a deep, feeling sigh. He found William Emerson half out of his chair. ‘“ J—pshaw!” said William. “T wanted to talk to Dora. She’s one of Mary’s most intimate friends, Tom. She’d be likely to know.” “We'll attend to that in just about five minutes, Bill,” Thomas said briskly. ‘“ Pll take this bird down-stairs and get him into a taxi and started on his way, and then I'll come back and dress and we'll begin scour- ing this burg for Mary. Now, old Sir Galahad! Can you shake yourself to- gether?” William was upon his feet. “Wait!” said he. “ J’ take him!” “Huh?” said Thomas. “Yes, of course. - I'll see him home in the cab while-you dress, Tom. That ‘ll save that much time, and my cab’s down- stairs waiting for me!”’ “ But you might not—er—be able—” “IT can manage any drunk in the world!” William said, impatiently, and strode down upon the armor. . “ You get _ Into your street clothes, Tom, and if you have any spare time before I’m_ back, spend it telephoning. ‘Don’t telephone Dora again. I want to talk to her myself for five minutes; that’s why I’m taking Weldon. Come on, you blithering fool!”’ : For a brief space, Thomas Henning’s world had ceased revolving; it resumed op- ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. erations now, although slowly. Incredible as it might be, William was in the very act of helping his own wife to her feet! Yes, and now he was-leading her to the door, and Mary, who understood it all, was stumbling along at his side—and now he was pausing in the doorway he had so re- cently tried to shatter. “Tl be back just as soon as I can, old man,” said young Mr. Emerson. ‘“ And I —I want to ask your forgiveness again, Tom, and to thank you for wanting to help me find Mary. You—you’re dead white! Come on, you!?’ | The figure tottered onward. One hand reaching backward, William closed the door after him—and out there in the corri- dor sounded once more the click of his heels and the slower, metallic echo of the metal feet! With an unbelieving, rather insane smile, Thomas Henning shuffled to the chair Mary had but vacated—considered it for a mo- ment and then dropped into it and sprawled limply. Some little time, he merely shook with the ghastly humor of the thing: Bill was taking his own wife from the apartment wherein he had failed to find her! Bull, cut of all the billions of people in the world! - And yet—why not? Thomas stilled his decidedly hysterical laughter and gazed _fix- edly at the telephone. Barring a break- down on Mary’s part, all was well! She understood perfectly. She would be escort- ed by Dora Pitt to the privacy of Weldon’s empty room, empty largely because Wel- don was over there at the ball this very minute. She would unmask and tell the simple truth to Dora, and Dora—who was a sport, even if she was a daughter of the hardest, coldest deacon in the country—would lend her clothes! | As to the money and the rest of it? Thomas frowned at the telephone. He would call up Dora, as soon as Bill and Mary were definitely out of the Cypria, and give her the facts in advance. was better. -And he would arrange to meet Mary with a racing car and a roll of bills. So Thomas waited for the familiar clang of the elevator door. And as he waited, Mary Emerson and ECOMRRIC OG Yes, that. <S co ww