Argosy, Vol. 123, No. 2 — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

150 Pendleton questioned the girl | next. ‘“‘ Have you any reason to believe that any one might attempt such a thing?” Peggy Archer’s face was white, her lips quivering. “ Only that—that—” She was silent, then exclaimed: ‘“‘ The money’s gone, isn’t it? And my mother was living here alone. And—” Pendleton eyed the girl sharply. “Come, Miss Spalding,” he said crisply, “there’s something you’re keeping from us.” Brent could feel the color rising to his own cheeks. “ There’s nothing—nothing!”’ Peggy pro- tested desperately. ‘I shouldn’t have—”’ “You would never have come to me,” went on the prosecutor, “ unless you had very good reason to suspect some one—” Watching the girl, Brent saw her draw herself up abruptly, her eyes wide, and staring wildly at something behind him. Whirling, Brent found himself facing a window—that was all, a window with the glass backed up by the blackness of the night, dully reflecting the light in the room. Brent turned back just in time to catch the girl as she fell. Pendleton had dashed through the door. Brent worked swiftly to bring the girl back to consciousness, He was just begin- ning to get results when Pendleton reen- tered the room. “No one in sight,” he reported. Brent scarcely heard him. ‘‘ We must get her away from here,” he said. “Yes, get her rested up,” said Pendleton. “T’ll want to talk to her.” “What do you suppose she saw at the window?” asked Brent. Pendleton laughed. ‘Saw? Why, noth- ing! Don’t forget that Peggy Archer is a very clever actress.”’ Brent did not reply, and Pendleton con- tinued: ‘“ She was lying to us before. She does know something. Fainting this way was just a final touch to put us off the track.” A rap at the door was followed before Pendleton could say “‘ Come in!” by the entrance of the woman from across the street. “Did you know that a man was looking THE ARGOSY. | in at the window?” she asked breathlessly —and she pointed to where the light wav- ered against the darkened glass. CHAPTER IV. “THE LAW CAN MAKE HER TALK.” BRENT carried Peggy Archer in his arms to the automobile at the curb, and again from the car to the door of his own home. “Mammy,” he said, as the old colored woman opened the door, ‘‘ here’s some one I want you to take very good care of.” “ Bless you, chile!”’ exclaimed mammy in a whisper, looking at the girl in Brent’s arms. ‘‘ Ain’t she jes’ the mos’ beautiful thing. She’ mus’ be from Virginia, she mus’ ”) “We'll ask her after a while,” promised Brent, “ but now we’ll put her up-stairs in the front room, and you'll sit by her like you do with me when I’m Sick.” “Ts she very sick, honey?” asked the old colored woman in a hushed voice. Phil was on his way up-stairs. He laid Peggy Archer on the wide bed and stood looking down at her. The face was without color, the eyes closed, and the hair dis- ordered—but to Philip Brent she was for all that the most wonderful woman in the world. “Don’t you fret about her, Mr. Phil,” mammy assured him. ‘“ Jewel won’t let no harm come to her.” “Put her to bed,” said Brent, “and if she asks any questions say it’s the doctor’s orders.” } “ There, I won’t let her fuss none at all.” From the house Brent went to police headquarters, to convey certain requests that Pendleton had asked him to transmit before he left Maple Street. Inspector Walden was in charge at night, and he agreed to make the assignments the prosecu- tor wanted, a man from each shift to be detailed to the Spalding cottage. Walden said he thought it could also be arranged to put the finger-print expert from the detective-bureau at the prosecutor’s ser- vice the next morning. But in the matter of having Patrolman comicloool C©