Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 16, 1921 — page 153: what you’re looking at

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

144 She rose hastily, intent on running from © ruin—and reluctantly she sat down again. She had given him her promise. And at that moment Ray came hurrying from the _ building, smiling broadly. “Now,” he said, “ for the explanation.” They faced each other across a little table in a quiet hotel dining-room. He passed her a legal-looking paper. ‘‘ I want you to know I’m not a crook—and here’s the proof.” ‘Why, it’s a deed—a cert deed,” she said slowly. Her eyes widened far- ther. ‘““A deed—to the Grandonquin! You own it?” ‘Since eleven forty-five this morning,” he smiled. “It’s very simple. Three months ago I saw a chance to buy the Grandonquin at a good figure. I thought I knew where to get the capital, and I spent all my own money on an option—an option that expired at noon to-day. But my backers failed me. “Then the Grandonquin people got a better offer—and they saw the chance they were missing, the big profits in high rents that are coming, and they did everything in their power to prevent my buying. When everything else failed and finally I got the money I needed they employed the dirtiest trick of all, hired a private de- tective to keep me in trouble and out of the way until this option expired. You understand that?” U U ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. She nodded. “But we beat ’em,” Ray gloated sud- denly. “Oh, boy! And I want to say right now that no matter what may hap- pen to other rents at the Grandonquin, I want you to consider that place your home. And you can pay any rent you please, you and your cat, any rent or no rent at all. Thanks to you and Amiable Amos—” «é Who?” ““Amiable Amos. I mean your cat. You see, that’s the name I gave him. Sort of. fitted—” “ But it doesn’t fit!” “ No! ) “No, indeed. Why, my cat’s name is Venus. ‘Amos, indeed! She’ s not that kind of cat.” “ Venus!” “* Venus.” Stanley Ray spoke with a solemn tremu- lousness, standing abashed before a great idea. ‘‘ Why—why, look here. You know who Venus was? Venus, why she was the goddess of love!’’’ Miss H. W. looked startled, too. Her cheeks were very pink, and she breathed faster. She said slowly: ‘“ Yes—yes. I ~ believe she was.” _ At this discovery they were silent to- gether, silent for a long time. For them it seemed to hold a tremendous signifi- cance. U U This is the 132nd Novel, Originally Printed Serially in this Magazine, to be Published in Book Form. Ee ie OV AX I BY HULBERT FOOTNER Author of “Country Love,” “ Blackmail,” “On Swan River,” “The Substitute Millionaire,” etc, THE soldier who “ went over the top ” had a fifty-fifty chance or better; but the man ‘who finds another man’s dead body on his hands just as he ithinks he has opened a new account with life, would seem to have had a scurvy trick turned upon him by Fate. This latest Footner novel offers a new and daring solution of an unusual problem, and incidentally provides one of the best mystery and adventure stories of the season. (All-Story Weekly, May 10 to June 14, 1919.) Published in book form by George H. Doran Co., New Vork, zg21. Price $1.90 net. 9A CORMICLOO <S) (© S|