Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 124, No. 2 — page 189: what you’re looking at

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

BEWARE OF “Mary! Hah—Mary/” she began. “ So—so this—” ‘Never mind how I look—never mind anything!” cried a strange, savage voice that must have been Mary’s. “ Give me ‘those clothes you’re wearing!” Théere- was a sudden sound, as of feet scuffling. Thomas Henning, pure fright ih his eyes, looked about wildly; as if in search of aid. é¢ Mary! Noble. “I know it--I know that!” Mary pant- ed. ‘“ But I’m going to have your clothes! Do you hear? Give it to me or I'll tear it off you and—” “Don’t, Mary—don’t!” Peter’s bride choked, horribly. ‘‘ Mary—don’t!” Followed a long, struggling gasp—and a rustting—and a sudden, heavy, sickening thud! And then there came perfect silence— utter, breathless silence. Thomas Hen- ning’s hands clasped tight together; there was an impulse to shout, but his vocal apparatus seemed wholly paralyzed. And it went on and on and on, that silence! It bore down on him, crushing the very life out of him. Something awful had happened in there! He tried to move and found it impossible. He listened. He could hear Mary’s breathing now, a blood-freezing little wheeze. He saw the curtains stir, as a hand clutched them on the other side; and the owner of the hand appeared ‘to be reeling dizzily, for the cur- dain swayed back back and forth, back and forth. Then: “Tve killed her!” came You ’re—crazy!”’ gasped Mrs. from Mary. CHAPTER XCXXTI. MURDER—ALMOST. O this was the end of the evening: a S murder! Thomas dropped his limp, cold hands and smiled a dreadful httle smile. It was the logical finish, of course. But— the consequences! In rather less than one second they all flashed before Thomas; the hurrying officers who would come so soon ‘Gimme that. dress, Sally! ° THE BRIDE. Sik after the arrival of the doctor Thomas would have to call in a minute—the arrest of Mary, just as she was! Then the hideous scandal, the ruin of several lives, the trial, the conviction- Per- haps, after that— ““T-T-Tom!” Mary whispered. Thomas dragged his blank eyes about, to look at the thing, doubtless visible on this side of the curtains. He saw nothing more startling than the curtains themselves, one of them wrapped about Mary Emerson and leaving her bead visible. Her eyes dilated and her lips were white. “What have you | done?" Thomas breathed. ‘‘ I—TI didn’t mean to do . Tom!” Mary whimpered. “ It isn’t all my fault! You've driven me insane and she—she wouldn't give me that dress. J didn’t mean to do — anything like that.” _ Thomas steeled himself. Everything not- withstanding, she was Mary and very much in need of succor new. “TI know,” he said quietly. “Tell me about it. What did you do? Stab her?” “ Stab her?” Mary faltered. “ I—I hardly touched her! I—why, I just reached for her, Tom, and she—she squawked and fell down like that! She—”’ ‘Ts she breathing?” y Mary tightened the curtains about her. ‘“T don't know, Tom,” she said hearsely. “ You—you look!” — The fatally beautiful Henning heir, to the best of its owner’s betief, straightened out and stood bolt upright as he croésed the room. His skin rose m several millien small pimples; he felt his lips tightening as they dragged down on his teeth—but # had to be done! Oh, yes, it had to be dene, and worse than merely looking at Sally might have to be done, too. He bent quickly as he _ entered his little music-rocom and laid a hand over the prostrate Mrs. Noble’s heart, “Why, she’s—alive!” he cried. ‘‘ She is?” Mary echoed wonderingly. “I thought—”’ ‘ Of course she’s alive!” Thomas laughed as reason, with same difficulty, stepped back to her throne. ‘She’s simply famted, Mary. That’s all. She faints very easily.” COM G NOOK (CO wo