Argosy, Vol. 118, No. 4 — page 56: what you’re looking at

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

526 he and she, to the parting which she was corifident her confession would precipitate. She plucked a branch from a bush, and te cover her agitation picked the leaves from it as she pondered, her thoughts filled with the news her mother had just given lher—that her father was coming home. His health was broken, he had written, and he asked them to give him refuge, which they could not deny. _ ‘“‘ He.is coming home, Rex,” she replied; but she did not tell that which she sup- posed would forever sever their friendship. She would stave that off to the last. ‘ Let —let us talk of—Jacqueline.” Undirected, their steps took them to the Rock. There they came upon Serviss lean- ing upon a cane and quaking with rage at the discovery that the fifth number had not been inscribed. Had they not been rapt in their conver- sation and their comragéship, they would have observed him in time to turn back, as Rex would have done under the circum- stances. He heard them, however, before they saw that he was present. His withered face empurpled. He started to run at them, came uplifted. As the girl shrank away, Rex saw that it was she who would have received the first blow. He stood before her, but his father wabbled to a halt before reaching them and was forced to lay the cane to the ground to keep himself erect. With a whispered word to Dorothy to remain at a distance, Rex went to his father. His arm, offering support, was shoved aside. ‘You damned liar!” screamed Serviss. “And you ”—he snarled with unconcealed hatred at the girl—‘“ you—” “ Father!” Rex grasped him by the arms. ‘‘ Dorothy,” he begged, “ please go. I—I’ll come to you after I take my father home.” Nodding understanding, ‘pity marking her face, the girl hurried away. What she had seen had convinced her’ that gossip had been right in saying Serviss was crazy, and, her life shadowed by her own father, she could feel with Rex to the most cutting pang. When she passed out of view Serviss’s outburst subsided. He suffered Rex to THE ARGOSY. lead him, mmutterie ¢ curses upon Dorothy; and upoh ‘his son because the fifth act of vengeance had not been tabulated. Immediately on arriving home he tele- phoned orders to the stone-cutter to go at once to the Rock. Gun in hand, he sum- moned his son and promised to kill him if he interfered with the work under way— if he sought to quiet the mallet that sounded the driving of nails into a coffin-lid! Realizing that the threat to kill in all likelihood would be carried out before he could have his father placed under re- straint, Rex obeyed him. If his inactivity in this would pacify his father he was will- ing to stand inactive—for he wished:to de- fer as long as possible the putting of his parent into an asylum. He let his thoughts go to Dorothy. His last impression was of her eyes, big and round, as she departed. He contained him- self patiently until his father should settle down and he could: go to her. After a time, when Serviss had fallen into a sullen brooding, Rex spoke of some- thing that had been revolving in his mind since his father had become ill. ‘“ Dad,” he began abruptly, paused; then with a quick breath came straight to the point: ‘‘ Dad—don’t you think you’ve taken toll enough?” He was prepared for another violent de- nunciation, but it did not come at once. “Eh?” Serviss’s head swiveled on his bowed shoulders. He was busy with a new idea—an idea that the day’s encounter had suggested. “ What’s that you say?” The son was emboldened. ‘“ Jack would not want you to do as you are doing.. She does not want vengeance. Nor does mother.” He moved over beside the other’s chair. ‘ Haven’t you done enough evil, dad?” “Enough!” His father’s laugh was loud. Jerking round, he clutched his son’s wrist, He clucked insanely. ‘“‘ Not till as many more‘of them as I can put there are under the sod, like our girl.” He laughed again, but in the midst of it stopped, his eyes narrowing, shrewd in their madness. He drew Rex closer. ‘ That girl has got you,” he flared... ‘“ You’re go- ing back on your sister and your mother.” OO (C(O) S (C(O)