The Argosy, Vol. 90 No. 1 — page 148: what you’re looking at

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

142 were willing or not to believe her story, well acted the part of a passée maiden who had cherished for half a century the all but forgotten records of a dead and dying gen- eration. | She whom Prince had intreduced as Miss Haynes felt this response in the matron of the house and advanced to her unctuously, ‘“ Did my nephew say ‘ Mrs. Henry Har- lingood ’?” she inquired. Mrs. Harlingood glanced at Welling, saw him shake. his head and hold up his hands In derision; and therefore nodded rather coldly, though there was such sweet gen- tility and repose in the little old lady that the woman whose social position had never been questioned until now instinctively felt drawn to her. Miss Haynes, however, tock the nod for the word and immediately poured forth a voluble reference. ‘““T remember reading about your wed- ding,” she said, “it was the 1oth of Sep- tember, 1881, was it not?” This remarkable coincidence brought a start from Mrs. Harlingood, wKo could not help saying, “‘ yes.’ Gratified, the inhabitant of the poke bennet rattled on. ‘And your maiden name was Burhans, Emily Burhans, if 1 remember correctly.” The look of amazement on Mrs. Harlin- gocd’s countenance was evidence that she did remember correctly. - “ And your elder brother, Watson Thorn- dyke Burhans, married Evangeline Everett, of Brookline, and Evangeline FEverett’s mother was a Rutherford, the one first cou- sin of my father’s mother. They were born in: neighboring houses in Benton Falis and went to school together. I have often heard my grandmother speak of Evangeline Everett. Now, let’s see. That would make me your fourth cousin by marriage, weuldn’t it?” Though Mrs. Harlingood was doubtless astounded, Prince was more affected than any one by his aunt’s revelation. ‘ By the Holy Saint Peter, Aunt Belle,” he exclaimed, “‘ I did get in right, didn’t I? You often said I wouldn’t be able to pick the real thing, but I did. I may never have hed your advantages, may never have THE ARGOSY. been East before, but I guess blood will tell all right. So the Harlingoods are right into the Four Hundred, and no mistake.” ‘“Four Hundred!” replied his aunt scornfully. ‘ Mrs. Harlingood is of better New England bleod than any of the Four Hundred ever thought of having. Four Hundred, huh! Have I not often warned you against using such slangy talk?” She gave him a look that squelched him and Prince retired for the moment, abashed. Miss Haynes returned to her fourth cou- sin, by marriage, and reached forth her hands, ‘heartily declaring that she felt as if she were participating in a family re- union.. Mrs. Harlingood again was unable to de- cide on her mode of procedure. If, by any chance, all this preposterous story were true, if Prince were not a criminal, if he did possess the forty, or was it fifty mil- lions, if this queer old creature were his aunt, and if she were also Mrs. Harlin- good’s fourth cousin, even by marriage, ‘this was the best possibile moment to establish a lasting entente cordtale. On the other hand she had been re- peatedly that afternoon chagrined and de- graded, and she dreaded another mistake. But the personality of the little old lady was masterful and Mrs. Harlingood was impelled to answer the greeting of both hands by at least one hand, which she felt to be in the nature of a diplomatic campro- mise. However, before the ladies could grasp each other’s hands Welling had called out sharply: ; ‘Nonsense, Mrs. Harlingood, don’t be hoaxed any more. This woman is only an accomplice of Connors and a very clever swindler. Don’t let yourself forget that he has practically confessed his previous crimes, asserted his intention to make use of your name in further criminal notoriety, that he has refused your offers of clemency, that he has humiliated and outraged you beyond expression. Wait one minute and the inspector will be here to lock them up.” Welling walked over to the window and opened it to look out that he might dis- cover what was keeping the inspector. oO comiicbool< CO