The Argosy, April 1916 — page 35: what you’re looking at

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

A MYSTERY OF ROSCOE CONKLING PARK. ‘You'll have me in the blind asylum if you look at me like that. Now pay at- tention to the things I am going to tell you. The park we are coming to is Steuben Park.” 6 ‘Oh.”’ The car rolled easily along the smooth Rutger Street pavement. “See that house back in that private park? That was Roscoe Conkling’s home.” ‘“‘“Goodness me,” cried Miss Wayne. ‘‘Did nobody of any account ever live in Utica except Roscoe Conkling and the Baron von Steuben?” She snap-shotted everything he thought worthy of her attention, and the afternoon wore away very pleasantly. It was dusk when they returned to the Butterfield House, and Williams sat still, watching the figure of Miss Wayne as she tripped by Yale’s side into the hotel. When they reached the desk the clerk said: “Mr. Yale, Greenland left for you.” The message read: YALE AND Miss WAYNE:—Mr. Raymond is very ill and perhaps dying. He wants to see you both—at once. GREENLAND. Williams’s infatuation was fortunate. Yale caught him beforé he had left the curb. CHAPTER XIII. THE WORST YET. “[ HEY were admitted by Sims. He evidently knew they were.expected, for notwithstanding the bruskness with which they had left the house in the morn- ing, and all that had passed since, he stood aside and bowed formally and respectfully. Greenland met them in the wide hall, his manner one of dejection, and his expression morose. ‘“What’s the trouble, Yale. ‘‘Come in here.” Greenland led the way to a cozy living room, and motioned the guests to chairs. He did not sit down himself, but paced to and fro with his hands in his pockets. “There’s the devil to pay in this house,” he said. ‘‘Confound it, I wish I had in- sisted on the wedding taking place. All this da—”’ ‘‘What’s the matter with Mr. Raymond?”’ George?” asked here is a message George 25 interrupted Yale, not caring to hear Ske land’s personal grievances. ‘““He’s sick!” answered Greenland sav- agely. “Devilish sick. May die. When we came home from the court Nance was feeling pretty good. Then the old fool had to go and blurt out all the proceedings. Nance went up in the air, and berated the old man like a virago. After that she fainted. Then Mrs. Raymond worked so hard over. Nance, leaving the old man to himself, that his excitement became too much for him, and he had a spell. “Tt develops now that Mr. Raymond has suffered for a long time with heart trouble, and nobody knew it but his physician. Well, they sent for Dr. Tuller, and some fool in the house told Mrs. Raymond and _She fainted. Dr. Tuller said that he might die any minute. So we got him to bed. ‘Then, Tuller wouldn’t see Mrs. Ray- mond because he was not her physician. So we had to telephone Dr. Hosman. They are both here now. Messages are carried from one room to another. “Nance demands that all proceedings against Miss Wayne be stopped, and Ray- mond refuses. He consents to her remain- ing here as Nance’s guest, for Nance’s sake, and because he doesn’t trust you as her bondsman. He says you have the ap- pearance of wealth, and would probably sacrifice a miserable farm on West Canada Creek for the sake of spiriting Miss Wayne away. ‘“‘Then he wanted to see both of you, and I went out on the trail. The judge didn’t know where you could be found. The chief didn’t know. I managed to get hold of Blake, and he said you were at the Butterfield House. There I was told that you had gone out in Johnny Williams’s car. So I left the note.” “And now we are here,” replied Yale. “Does Mr. Raymond want to see us at once?” “Not now. Tuller gave him a powerful © opiate and says he will sleep till to-mor- row morning.” “How is Nance?” asked Beverly. “Oh, she’s in bed moaning and crying ‘Bev, Bev,’ constantly.” “And here I sit like a bump on a log,” said Miss Wayne. ‘‘She’s in her own room, I suppose.” ~ “Yes, but Dr. Tuller is with her now.’ “What do I care? She isn’t calling foe Dr. Tuller, is she?”’ MICLOOOK C@