Argosy All-Story Weekly — 'The Metal Monster' — page 151: what you’re looking at

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

BEWARE OF that criminal or is it the natural act of a friend—of -your husband’s, at least?” Thomas concluded, with simple dignity. “ Well, if—if you really—” Mrs. Noble said uncertainly, for the key was surely there and it was her own. ‘“‘ Have you ever missed any of the silver after any of my regular visits?” young Mr. Henning asked bitterly. ‘“ No, I believe not. So I'll ask you to believe—” “Tom! They’re gone!” said Mrs. No- ble, dismissing her latest cause for agita- - tion and reverting to the greater one. (é Whate?”’ ‘‘ They’re not at the ball!” “T hardly think they’re together any- where,” Thomas said quietly. “If you really want to find Peter, go out in the din- ing-room and call up the office, Sally. It’s dollars to doughnuts that he’s there at this minute. As for Mary, you know and I know—” | “What are you kicking into that closet?”? Mrs. Noble asked suddenly. Nor did she wait for any answer. With a catlike bound she had passed Thomas Henning and twitched at the neat gray bundle. It opened with an ease no less than ghastly, spreading Mary’s intimate belongings over the better part of a square yard! And Mrs. Noble tottered back, both hands at her bosom now! “ Her—her waist! Her shoes—and stockings and hat!” _ She echoed breath- lessly. ‘‘Sally!. Those things —if they’re not yours—” Thomas began. She did not seem to hear. Fine eyes di- lating wildly, hands at her doubtless ach- ing temples now, Mrs. Noble nodded some- what insanely. “That’s it—yes, that’s it, of course! Of course!”’ said she, without great coher- ence. ‘“ You—his friend—friend !. You'd do that, naturally, wouldn’t you! You work so wonderfully well together—you and the thing I married! “You drive me frantic with your inso- lence and make me leave the place to find him, and then you force your way in here to remove the—the traces of his crime!” “‘ Sally!”? Thomas protested. .“ I—” 10 A THE BRIDE. 148 “Oh, it’s so! It’s so! It is so!”? Mrs. Noble ctied, her voice growing oddly, piti- fully weak. “She was here with him! She—oh! Oh!” gasped Mrs. Noble, as her mad eyes remained upon the silent lit- tle wardrobe, strewed there upon the floor. “Why — why — wherever she is now, she can’t have any—any clo—”’ Very nimbly indeed, Thomas jumped forward and caught her. Sally had fainted! She had fainted, and in one way it was almost as well, for Sally — had been trembling on the very verge of at least one great truth. . And she had made a wonderfully com- plete job of her faint. No wet towel could have been any more limp and spineless than was Sally at this moment. His enemy though she might be, Mrs. Noble drooped confidingly in Thomas Henning’s arms, her head affectionately upon his shoulder! - CHAPTER XXVI. EVIDENCE! HOUGH he might be quweer and ex- T plosive in sorhe ways, William Emer- son was strong for virtue in its vari- ous manifestations; genuine disgust at the ostensible doings of Tom Henning fairly sickened him as he left the Cypria Apart- ments. Not that, in his secret heart, he was greatly astonished; this curly-haired, lady-killer variety runs pretty true to type —hbut it was a mortal shame that poor old Pete Noble should be the real victim of an affair like that! On the other hand, a load had been Hift- ed from William’s peculiar mind. Mary was altogether exonerated. He had been crazy, ever to suspect Mary; he conceded that now, and had the good grace to blush as he stood on the sidewalk. But it was because he loved her so tremendously that he was jealous of the very newsboys in the street when they smiled at her—it was be- cause worry over Mary’s unaccountable disappearance had all but maddened him. Wilham bit his lips. It must be eleven now, and he knew no more of Mary’s whereabouts than he had known in that distressing moment when, after a final run CONIC DOOIX Colin