Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 45: what you’re looking at

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

Harper took the notice from his pocket and handed it to her. “T was here in your office only yester- day,” Alice said, ‘‘ and I didn’t see that no- tice. Where was it?” “Where you couldn’t see it, of course.” ‘Oh! You kept it hidden from me?” Naturally. If you saw it you would warn Allan that I was looking for him. Id have no chance to catch him then.” “What made you think I would warn him?” ‘Because you, too, came from Willow- field.” “ How do you know that?” ‘I saw the postmark on a letter you re- ceived.” She flared up. sneak and a liar!” Harper shruged his shoulders. ‘‘ Abuse me if you wish. Officers of the law are used to that.” “JT mean it. You tricked me by keeping that notice hidden while you led me to be- lieve you were letting me see ail of them.” ‘All right. What of it? I am a sheriff, you know.” “Does a sheriff have to become a cheat and a Jiar?” ‘* A sheriff must enforce the law. And he couldn’t do that if he told everything he knew.”’ ‘Oh, I despise you!” Alice cried. “ You —you said you were my friend. And all the time you were only leading me into a trap to betray my husband.”’ “T am still your friend.” “ Then prove it. Let your prisoner go.” Harper smiled grimly. ‘‘ That’s impossible.” “It #s possible, but you won’t do it.” “ That’s it: I won’t.” “Oh, God!” She collapsed into a chair and sobbed. Harper looked down at her and shook his head in silent pity. Such loyalty to a worth- less man! He knew that Allan was worth- less just as well as he knew that Alice was One woman in ten thousand. The man’s attempted courtship of Babe in the dance had had proved the former. The pity fat. A man whose advances had been re- “Then you are both a her. what you said about 1 wanted the other day that husband is innocent. Is that ‘“T know he is innocent,” she ‘‘ What makes you think that lowfield authorities would not send o1 culars unless the evidence in their possess was pretty strong.” “He says he is innocent. enough.”’ Harper shrugged his shoulders. ‘‘ Why did he run away?” | ‘“ Because he could not prove his inno- cence.” | ‘‘ Are you quite positive that, in addition to being innocent, he is a loyal husband?” “ The best in the world.” “ Has he never done anything that might lead you to believe he may not be true to you?” Alice rose. ‘‘ A while ago you spoke about doing your duty,” she said. ‘“ Does your duty include the making of base insinuations calculated to stir up strife between a husband and wife?” Harper had been tempted to tell her about the dance hall incident, but, after all, what business of his was it? His duty was done. Alice and his prisoner were husband and wife. He recollected the bib- lical injunction not to put asunder those whom God has joined together. “Pm sorry if my remark appeared to be an insinuation,” he said. She rose to go, “Thank you,” she said coldly. “Would you like me to accompany you to your office?”? i “ Tf? r y ce?” Harper queried. “ It’s dan- gerous for you to go about alone in Geyser on a dark night.” “ No,” said Alice, and went out. Harper stood at his door and watched her as she disappeared in the night. Then — he slumped down in his chai oo Staring straight ahead of him. 2 Outside, stumbling along the dark of roadway, Alice qui ipo ie quivered with sunnressed.—