Adventure Magazine Cover, February 3, 1921 — page 125: what you’re looking at

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

Zozomee “that you knew Grace was innocent. are a detective, Mr. Guinnell?” “A de—no, not quite that. I am—well —you see—in a way it might be said that I direct detectives, at least influence them in their work. és “T see,” said Mrs. McHenry. A super- intendent. You put it modestly.” Guinnell bowed. Zozomee, even more lovely as Grace Mc- Henry, looked at him with wide-eyed ad- miration. As by a miracle he seemed to have snatched her from a ruinous situation and she was grateful; more than that, she had become aware that he was a remark- ably polite young man of fine appearance. She glanced with shy inquiry at her mother. The mother was very strict and reserved in her approval of young men. “T don’t understand how you knew—’ said Mrs. McHenry. “Don’t try to guess,” said Guinnell, in- terrupting with a gracefiil air of mystifica- tion. “There is much more implicated in the affair of the necklace than I can tell you now. Of course, I knew from the first that Miss McHenry was innocent.” “Of course,” said the mother. ‘“Won’t you some time tell us all about it?”’ asked Miss McHenry, glancing hope- fully at her mother. es “Ves, do,” said Mrs. McHenry. “T have always admired detectives,’ Miss McHenry remarked. ‘‘And it seems to me we really hav a right to be told, some time. I shall always be grateful to you, Mr. Guin- nell. I feel very like charging Mrs. Web- ster with slander.” “No=no,” said Guinnell quickly, confi- dentially. “That would not do now. Trust me in this, please, and do not speak to her at all. You will punish her sufficiently by silence; if by saying nothing at all, explain- ing nothing. I will see that—well, she will be punished severely.” “T do not understand,” Henry. “Please don't try—now. But trust me. Just trust me.’ “Of course we do that implicitly!” said Miss McHenry, smiling trustfully. “Thank you,” said Guinnéll; and a half- minute later he was out of the room and wiping his forehead. said Mrs. Mc- You _very careful about what he believes. 119 “Whew!” he thought emphatically. “T nearly made a mistake—a great mistake. I would have sworn that she stole that neck- lace. Whew! And she is a wonderful girl. And will Kase believe that necklace walked off on its own two legs? Casper P. Kase is He will add two and two, and being of an ex- citable nature, he may say something to hurt my feelings.” So Guinnell went down on to the lawn,, slipped into the shadows, made his way noiselessly under the arbor of spreading wis- “ teria that dropped at a thousand points with clusters of blooms, until he heard voices whispering together. ‘““Who’s_ there?” tensely. “Ze frien’ of madame’s an’ monsieur’s!” whispered Guinnell in a disguised voice. A small flashlight blazed into their faces. A dark little automatic was extended. ‘‘Pardon—an’ keep silent,’ said the thin foreign voice, as a hand deftly went into Trevelyan Ford’s pocket and drew out a rather bulky wallet. a@ woman exclaimed “Ah—zat a lovely Ja valliére,”’ said the . bandit, who wore a full mask of white suk that gave an almost spectral appear- ance. - With one gesture and a light dextrous touch he had removed the-necklace. The flashlight went out. “Please, you will not move or make ze shout. Madame’ s husband might be ze {?? first to hear an’ come queek! With that the mysterious masked figure backed away into the shadows and was gone. re. in his hand—a hand steady and del- : icate as a fragment of statuary—as he sat among a group of guests, listening to the last piece of the orchestra. He seemed thoughtfully attentive to the music, but he was thinking: “T feel/like a dog, a dirty, little yellow dog. A girl like that—and I hoped she was a crook! Framed her alibi so she could get clear and I could get her for a partner. I’m a winner, a way-ahead winner. But this crook game doesn’t pay; not when you meet a girl like that.” OES COMMELOO (C@