Argosy All-Story Weekly, November 13, 1920 — page 97: what you’re looking at

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

WHO’S sort of topsy-turvy in our lives up until that night, Bobbie?” Without waiting for him to reply, she continued: : “Well, I had, but I didn’t know exactly what it was. I had everything I wanted— you always gave me everything I asked for. And then suddenly I discovered that night that that was what was wrong. You were letting me rule you, and [—I—well, any woman, I guess, Bobbie, dear, sort of wants to be bossed—a little.” Speaking of thunderbolts out of clear skies—which of course nobody was—that confession certainly came like one _ to Robert Alexander Edwards. Miriam—of all women. Miriam whom—blast his soul —he’d been loving all these months as an adorable little nagger, with very much a will of her own, wanted to be bossed, and by him. Rapturously he gathered her into his embrace. His lips met hers in a kiss that signaled the beginning of a new era for them. Then she lay quietly in his arms. For several minutes neither ‘of them spoke. The first words came from Robert. ‘It doesn’t seem quite possible, Miriam, dear. But what a tyrant you must have thought I was—the way I’ve acted re- cently.” . 3 ‘““V’ve loved you for it, dear—how much you'll never know. I never loved you as much in my life as I did that night, do you remember, Bobbie; that night we were arguing about getting a nurse for Judith, and I said something about how many ser- vants the Browns had, and you said ‘ To hell with the Browns,’ just like that, and flew out of the room—do you remember, Bobbie?” “Tt almost broke my heart to do it, Mi- riam—honestly.” ‘“ And it made me the happiest woman in the world,” she responded. A few minutes of pregnant silence. Then she continued: ‘After that—after that night, Bobbie, I was so happy-—but I was afraid it wouldn’t last. I was afraid maybe you didn’t mean it— wouldn’t stick to what you’d said. And then—you’ll forgive me, dear—I thought I’d try you out. That’s “with conflicting thoughts. BOSS? 315 why I suggested coming down here two weeks sooner—to see if you’d come—and that’s why I asked you to cancel that en- gagement to-day to be here for the lunch- eon. And now I’ve confessed everything except—” ‘Except what, dearest?” as she hesi- tated. ‘Except that there really wasn’t any Juncheon, Bobbie, dear. It was just the final. test.” She sat still, waiting for him to say something. And when he didn’t speak to her: | “You'll forgive me, dear — you’re not angry?” “Forgive you, sweetheart? Angry? You’ve made me the happiest man in the world.” V. In his room that night, Robert pulled from his pocket a little thin piece of paper. It was a summons to appear before the court of the little town of Millersville— half-way between the city and his summer home—to answer a charge of speeding. He tore the paper into bits and threw the scraps in the fireplace. Then he lighted the gas logs. It would never do to have Mi- riam see that paper. No, Robert told himself, after the won- derful way in which fate had adjusted things, it would never do to have Miriam suspect the truth—the truth being that he had canceled his business engagement, had left New York at noon as she had request- ed, and but for a wary traffic cop, with more regard for the lives of cows and chickens than the time of automobile drivers, he would have been at home in ample time for the luncheon—which was not. A smile, half cynical, wholly happy, spread across his face as he watched the littlepieces of paper turn into ashes. Even yet he could hardly understand. It seemed too good to be true. His mind was filled He searched his rather limited vocabulary for words worthy the occasion. He selected four very short ones: Well, Pll be damned!”’ ; Gomichbooks (eo)