The Argosy, Vol. 90 No. 1 — page 177: what you’re looking at

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

THE FIFTH ACE. woman was making a sympathetic effort to understand her and gain her friendship, yet the thought of Tia Juana drove all else from her mind, and she knew she was creat- ing a far from propitious impression. An unaccountable shyness, too, took pos- session of her at the possibility of meeting Kearn Thode beneath his sister’s discerning eye, and as soon as she could courteously do so, she tore herself away from her dis- appointed hostess and went to José. The cripple’s fever had abated, but he was still very weak. His little hot hands clutched hers nervously, and his big eyes seemed to burn into hers as he asked in his own tongue: “The senorita has a friend whom she trusts?” “Yes, José,” responded Willa promptly. ‘““ Have you seen him?” “He came this morning, and told me his name. He said I was to ask it of you, and you would tell me the same.” “Ts it ‘Dan’?” She watched the thin face brighten. “That was it! too?” “You can tell him anything as you would me, amigo; but remember, no word of the Pool!” “That is written, Senorita Billie, on my heart! But will the grandmama ever re- turne”’ Willa soothed him as well as she was able, and after a brief conference with Se- nora Rodriguez, took her departure. A man was standing near the bottom of the steps, lighting a cigarette. Her eyes rested upon him with no flash of recogni- tion until he glanced up, and then with a slow smile tossed his cigarette mto the gut- ter. It was Starr Wiley. His puffed, discolored lips stood out against the pasty whiteness-of his face with the grotesque effect of a mask, and his eyes gleamed malevolently, but he lifted his hat with the old airy insouciance. ‘We meet again, my dear Billie!” She bowed gravely, and made as if to pass him, but he barred her way. “Are you in such haste? I’ve come on purpose to escort you back over the bridge and have a little chat with you. There is And am I to trust him, 171 something almost comic in the situation, don’t you think?” “Tf there is, Mr. Wiley, it is discernible only to you,” she shrugged. ‘I will leave you to an enjoyment of it.” “Not yet, my dear! Our bird has flown, I know, but I am curious to learn why you haunt the empty cage.” Willa paused, eying him steadily. ‘What is it to you, as long as the Se- nora Reyes is not here?”’ ““ Because I believe that you will lead me to her more quickly than my agents can!” Wiley’s smile became a knowing leer. “Very clever, your conversation over tthe telephone the other night, de- signed for Angie’s benefit. You knew that she would report it faithfully to me, and you counted on it to throw me off the track; but it didn’t quite serve its aim.” Willa’s heart gave a leap, and then sank in a sick wave of fear for Tia Juana. She did not realize until that moment how cer- tain she had been that the old woman was in the hands of those whose interest it would be to keep her safe. Wiley’s attitude betrayed the fact that he knew no more than the girl herself where Tia Juana was. What, then, could have happened to her? “TI really must congratulate you once more!” he went on, ironically. “It was a master-stroke, a flash of genius to spirit the old lady away from this latest retreat of hers, and pretend that you, too, were in the dark as to her whereabouts. It was not your fault that the shot fell short of its mark!” Willa hesitated. Should she tell him the truth? That would, of course, give him equal ground with her, and he would move heaven and earth to beat her in the search; but in her hideous new anxiety she would almost rather know that Tia Juana was in antagonistic hands than face the vague but terrible possibilities confronting her. Starr Wiley accepted her silence as an admission, and on the instant his manner changed. ‘“T have followed you here to tell you that the time is past for quibbling, and no mere ruse will suffice longer to put me off!” He moved close to her and glared down oO comicbooks CO