The Argosy, April 1916 — page 55: 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. With the paper in her hand she followed Adolphus and his burden. CHAPTER XXII. WHAT NOW? "THE farmhouse was supplied with green shutters. Those on the first and second floor were of the slatted kind, called by many people blinds, and those in the dormer window of the attic room were solid, with small half moons cut in them to let in two rays of light in the daytime, but no sun. This was to keep the attic cool-in summer. Adolphus, knowing his business as thor- oughly as though he had been engaged in secreting fugitives from justice all his life, laid Yale on the bed, and went to the win- dow to draw the shutters. “See anybody, Adolphus?” asked Miss Wayne. ‘“‘See man looging. There.” Phlegmatically he closed the barriers to the light, and the refugees were in almost total darkness. Beverly laughed. “Cimmerian, I call it,” she said. ‘I’m going to look out through a half moon. I’ve often seen the man im the moon, but never expected to look at a man through a moon.” She went to the darkened window and placed her eyes at the opening in the left shutter. For a moment there was total silence. Then she uttered an exclamation. “By—Good Lord! Adolphus, help Mr. Owens here. Kenneth—it’s George Green- land.” “The devil it is! Why should he come spying—but then he sympathizes with Ray- mond. Is he skulking?” “Sneaking, I call it. Pussyfooting, I’ve heard it called. He keeps pretty well to cover.” Adolphus assisted Yale to the window. ‘What can the fellow want?” he growled, one eye glued to the hole. ‘“‘Why doesn’t he come out like a man and fight?” “Here he comes,” whispered Beverly, though why the whisper is hard to tell. Greenland was too far away to hear any- thing less than a shout. “He is walking to the kitchen door.” ‘“‘He will scare the old woman into letting him in,” said Yale. ‘“‘My mudder no can sgare,” quoth Adol- phus. ‘My mudder’s fadder an’ my fadder vas soldiers. I vas soldier one time. My mudder knog him on de het mid a broom.” 45 “I’m going to listen,” said Beverly. ‘“You stay here, Kenneth. You are too clumsy to do sleuth work.” Noiselessly she left the room and ob- tained an advantageous position over the kitchen on the floor below, at a trap that was reached by a ladder. This portion of the house was only one story and attic, and the space above the kitchen was used to store bacon, dried apples, and other prod- ucts of the farm for winter use. She could hear, but could not see, the meeting at the door between Greenland and the old woman. She heard Greenland’s knock. The old dame shuffled across the bare floor of the kitchen, and jerked the door wide open. “IT beg your pardon, madam,” said Green- land in his politest voice, and Beverly could almost see him take off his hat and bow. “I am in search of a man named Yale, who lives on a farm, or did live on a farm, along this way. It was called the Old Mill Farm, and I see an old mill along the creek. I made bold to knock at your door to ask if this is Old Mill Farm.” “Na! ) : Whether the old dame was saying no in her language, or just hurling defiance at an unwelcome visitor, Beverly could not. tell. She heard a footstep in the upper hall and knew that the reserves were moving to the aid of the old woman. “But I must find my friend Yale,” per- sisted Greenland. “I am convinced that this is his place. I will—” : “Na! Na!” said the guttural voice of Dolly’s mother. ‘Oh, I must insist. The law, woman, the law!” “NA! NA! NA!” came a loud yell, and then Beverly heard a whacking sound and Greenland began to curse. “You damned. old _harridan! wretched old witch! death!” Then a heavy voice broke in: ‘‘My mudder, her too olt for fight. Me, yes.” Then the sound of a fist against a face, and Greenland yelled. You I'll choke you to But it was over, and Beverly heard the door slammed shut and locked. She sped back to Yale. “Let me see him go,” she said, half stifled with suppressed laughter. ‘Oh, Kenneth, we could never have better guardians than these.” MICLOOOK C@