Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

KAIN. “* Charles has told me, Mr. Cameron,’ she says. ““Ts it “ Mr. Cameron” so soon, An- nette?’ says he. ‘ Does it only take this to change you?’ “ There was a bit of quiet, and then she says: ‘It seems to me that there has been enough of a change.’ “*Do you think so?’ says Cameron. ‘I’ve just left Charlie. Raeburn leaves everything to Charlie, and he leaves it to you. If you say the word they’ll drop this business.’ “* Have they left it all to me?’ says Mrs. Stirling. ‘Then if I’m judge I’ve got to think of justice!’ “¢ Ave, and one thing more,’ says David Cameron. ““* And what is that?’ she says. “« Mercy!’ says David Cameron. “‘ She says, sort of soft and angry: ‘ Who taught you the word “ mercy,” David Cam- eron?’ ‘““* Christ!’ says Cameron. “Vou ask for mercy, and that shows you are guilty,’ she says. “<Tt shows I have a case which I might not prove in court.’ ‘“ She says: ‘ We only ask that you leave the town.’ ‘He says: ‘ You only ask me to give up my home and bring shame on my wife and my baby boy. Annette, have you forgotten them?’ ‘“<T am ready to follow my husband, no matter what happens to him,’ says she, ‘and I thought your wife might be ready to do the same thing for you, Mr. Cam- eron.’ ” “Did she say that?” said Kain in a faint voice. ‘‘ Dear God, was that all the answer she made?”’ “Tt was,” said Gurfy, “ for her heart’s of ice! And when David Cameron heard her he.cried out—aye, Alice says the ring of his voice is in her ears many a night!— ‘ Annette, think of Margaret!’ ‘““< T am thinking of her,’ she says. “Vou see, she’d never forgiven Margaret Cameron for bein’ a bit better to look at and a bit more of a lady than herself. Now she has her house full of the swells, but if Margaret Cameron was back here in this: 493 little house to-day she’d take the cream of the fine folk away from Stirling House and bring ‘em down here to her door! She would!” “But you forget,” said Kain softly, “that she is dead, man—she’s dead!” “ But not the thought of her,” said Gurfy resolutely. “ Gurfy,” said Kain, “you’re a good man. Go on with your story.” “’There’s no more to tell. When he heard that, David Cameron says: ‘ Good night, Annette. I’m going. But as sure as there’s a sky above earth I’m coming back again!’ ”’ “ Did he say that?” cried Kain. he swear that he’d come back?” “ Alice heard it, sir.” “But where’s your proof of his inno- cence, Gurfy? Yes, let’s get down to that!” “Was his talk like the talk of a guilty, bribe-takin’ hound?” “It was not,” said Kain, apparently much moved. ‘“ Your own big heart has helped you to the truth. He said that he had a case, but one which he could not prove in court. Gurfy, if he had been guilty he would have confessed everything and thrown himself on the mercy of the woman.” “He would,” nodded Gurfy, “‘ for that’s human nature when a man’s in trouble.” “Think of it!” said Kain. “ Because of her three lives are ruined!” “Think of Raeburn and Stirling, too,” said Gurfy. “ Any of ’em could of saved Cameron. But, no, they was all figurin’ pretty close on how they’d get their start off of Cameron’s share of the business. Well, they was right, for that was the start that put ’em where they are. But it’s blood money, sir, that built that there house on the Heights! God ‘ll pay ’em back for it!” “What has God to do with it?” asked Kain savagely. “ Did He raise His hand to save poor Cameron? He saw poor Mar- garet Cameron dogged by shame. He knew that she, at least, was as stainless as snow! But think, now, of Cameron’s boy. If he were brought up to think that his father was honest and that Stirling and Raeburn are cold-blooded scoundrels, what would he “ Did COMIC DOOKXSaCOl 3