The Argosy, Vol. 90 No. 1 — page 164: what you’re looking at

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

158 THE puzzled. ‘‘ I wasn’t aware that I had any. When people bore me I let them alone; but those I find interesting, for one reason or another, I listen to. Is it crude to discrim- Inate?”’ Angie bit her lip. “You can be very simple and naive when you want to,” she burst out. ‘“ But do reserve it for outsiders and spare us. I know you for what you are—sly and sneaking and mean! Your cheap, common little airs and graces don’t deceive me; they only disgust me more and more. I wish Mr. North had left you where he found you, with your gamblers and horse-thieves and roustabouts!”’ “So do I,” Willa retorted frankly. “They were men, anyway. You are unjust because you are hurt, and I am sorry for you. I wish you could understand, but I am afraid you will not believe me. Mr. Wiley—” “Will you kindly leave his name out of this discussion?’”’ demanded Angie. ‘I am not in the least jealous, I assure you! He is nothing to. me. I merely object to the underhand way you maneuvered to receive him alone. That sort of thing may be all right where you came from, but it is a little bit too raw to put in practise here.”’ The appearance of the others brought the quarrel to a close, and they went out to the waiting limousine in a constrained si- lence. Mrs. Halstead glanced from her daughter’s flushed face to Willa’s pale one, and her lips tightened. Had Angie been foolish enough to betray herself to this in- terloper? Willa was sincerely distressed. There had never been any real congeniality be- tween the two girls, but her heart ached for the other’s evident suffering. Her own conscience was not quite clear, for she had permitted Wiley to show his hand without stopping to think of Angie, so determined had she been to learn the depths to which this man would descend in his ruthless self- seeking. She had weighed her cousin shrewdly, and she did not believe her ca- pable of deep and lasting affection, vet she shuddered at the thought of any girl’s heart in Starr Wiley’s keeping. They were late, as Angie had prophesied. ARGOSY. The Erskine drawing-room was crowded, and Willa stared about blankly, her mind still burdened with her cousin’s resentment. Then, all at once, she became conscious of a tall figure which disengaged itself from a near-by group and came eagerly forward. Mechanically she held out her hand, and a voice sounded in her ears which drove all else from her thoughts and sent the hot blood flooding her cheeks and neck in a crimson tide. ‘““We meet again, Miss Murdaugh. I told you that it would be soon!” She found herself looking up into Kearn Thode’s eyes, and the wonder of it held her dumb. As unconscious as a child of the instinctive moment, she extended both hands, and he caught and pressed them tightly for a moment before releasing them. ‘““Mr. Thode! I had almost given up hope.” The words sprang to her lips. “I thought you would come before, and I used to look about for you everywhere we went at first. It was silly, of course, for I knew that you had your work te do down there; but it would have been nice to see a really familiar face.” The young engineer, too, flushed. ‘““T meant to come before, but I was de- layed—” He broke off. ‘‘ Was it so aw- ful then, the first plunge? May I remind you that you have fulfilled my prophecy? Just to look at you now makes me half be- lieve those Limasito days were a dream!” ‘““They’re still real to me,” Willa said gravely. ‘“ They are the only real things and real people I have known. All this up here— Qh, it’s very pleasant, of course, and new and amusing, but it doesn’t reach deep down. It doesn’t seem to mean any- thing.” ‘““So soon?” He raised his eyebrows in whimsical dismay. ‘‘ My sister wrote me of your success, and I was very glad. I knew it would not change you, but I did not think the glamour would wear off so quickly.” “Your sister?” Willa cried. ‘I’m so sorry that I only met her once. She dined with us, but since then I have not seen her. I should like to have known her better.” ‘““ She called twice, but you were not at home. After that she went south, and has oO Comicbooe S CO