The Argosy, Vol. 90 No. 1 — page 176: what you’re looking at

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

170 “Everything she knew, and a lot that she threw in for good measure. I didn’t have to start her; she was just aching to tell the whole story, how they came to her, and all! If them other people get on to the house, she’ll spill the beans to them sure, miss. She don’t own that house; she only rents it; and the next time I go I’ll have an order from the agent to put in weather- strips or clean the chimneys and grates. I want a talk with the lad as soon as he is well enough. I'll report to you, miss, just as quick as anything turns up.” Willa gave him some final instructions and hung up the receiver, to find Angie at her elbow. ‘“‘'You’ve been an unconscionable time!” the latter complained, veiling her eyes to conceal their gleam of awakened curiosity and interest. ‘“‘ We’re waiting for you to make up a rubber. Who was that message from? Any of the crowd?” “No,” Willa replied directly. ‘“ It was from a friend of mine; you do not know him, Angie.” ‘Oh, I’m sure IJ didn’t mean to intrude. Dear me! To-morrow’s Thanksgiving, and this wretched season is scarcely begun!” It was a weary holiday for Willa, and she sat through the elaborate formal dinner with which the Halsteads celebrated it in an abstraction of mood which gave two of her callow admirers much concern. The presence of Kearn Thode’s sister, however, brought her out of her reverie, and later, when Mrs. Beekman sought her out in the drawing-room, Willa left her problem to take care of itself for the hour in her interest in the breezy, clear-eyed woman, so like Kéarn himself. “IT must apologize for not coming yes- terday, as I assured my brother I would. An epidemic of something or other has broken out at my kennels, and I spent a disheartening and doggy afternoon.” She laughed, adding with sudden serious- ness: ‘“‘ My brother has told me so many inter- esting things of you, Miss Murdaugh, that I have wanted to really know you; but I suppose you have been submerged in a sea of festivity with your cousins. I am a gre- garious person, but not a conventionally THE ARGOSY. social one. I suppose that is why we have not happened to meet since that first din- ner. I do not follow the beaten path, as a rule.” ‘“Nor I, except when I am led by the nose!” Willa responded, laughing, too. ‘““ But tell me! Is Mr. Thode improving?” Mrs. Beekman gave her a swift, keen glance. “Oh, yes! He suffered a mere scratch or two; you know what babies men are about such things. Look at them trailing in now from the dining-room, fed up on the newest stories and the oldest cognac! There’s something almost tragic in their boredom, isn’t there?” Willa gasped, a little taken aback by her companion’s cynical frankness, and Mrs. Beekman laid an impulsive hand upon her arm. ‘“Come and lunch with me to-morrow; just we two. We'll have a nice little chat, and if Kearn comes bothering around I'll send him away. I want you to tell me about Mexico.” Willa promised with an odd little thrill of warmth at her heart. With the excep- tion of fat, comfortable Sallie Bailey and old Tia Juana, the girl had had no inti- mates of her own sex, and the competition appeared to be so keen among the members of the set. in which she found herself that friendship was eyed askance as a subterfuge to be wary of. The daily bulletins from Brooklyn were not encouraging, nor was Dan Morrissey gaining ground in the search. Three days had passed since the disappearance of Tia Juana, and Willa decided despairingly that should a week go by without news, she must go to the police and brave the storm of no- toriety and questioning from Mason North and the Halsteads, which would mean the end of her cherished secrecy and hem her in with a multitude of complications. She lunched with Mrs. Beekman, as she had promised, in the dingy, old-fashioned house on: the square, which somehow gave the girl, untutored as she was, an impres- sion of aristocracy that the newer, more ornate piles of stone farther up the avenue had utterly failed to convey. She was miserably aware that the other oO Comicbooe S CO