Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 94: what you’re looking at

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

564 not for all of it. And it perplexes me quite as much as it does you—or more.” Contrition ran rampant through the ad- mission. But Felice only smiled back at him. , “tf you do decide to run up to town to- morrow,” said she, rising, “and have time, why don’t you call on papa at his office? You'll find him in the Church Street Ter- minal Building. If your own engagements permit, you might come back with him. Usually, he comes down Friday night— either by boat or train for the week-end. When he does not, he always comes by Saturday noon, if he expects to be here at all.” . “That’s mighty nice of you,” said Arthur. *‘ Tl bear it in mind and if I can I will.” Arthur waited a bit after she was gone. Foster and the detectives were still out- side the house—at least, he judged so—and probably outside the grounds. His unen- viable status as the hypothetical assailant of Cassidy, at least from the point of view of Lyons, made it likely that they would return. In case they did return-almost any- thing might happen. . A daring thought came to him. - He had not succeeded in getting in touch with Mr. Black earlier that day. What if he called Shelby 8900 again—even at this late hour? It might be Mr. Black’s residence in the city. Mr. Black might answer the telephone in person, and a quick solution of his prob- lem might be effected without further de- lay—thereby enabling him to facilitate selv- ing the rest of his vexations—including the police angle. He waited a bit longer. Tf Foster came back with the two detec- tives, whose message undoubtedly had been sent to headquarters for further instructions regarding the status of Arthur Tower since the advent of the man in the mask, it would be the part of wisdom not to be trapped into using the wire while there was still a prob- ability of an interruption by them. - “TY wonder why they went out the side gate?” he mused. ‘Oh, I won’t wonder. Let the whole thing go hang! But, again, Felice didn’t even remark that bandage on _ Cassidy’s head. That’s mighty odd.” ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. At last he resolved to chance it. The library door was open. The push button at the entrance gave him the neces- sary light. The room was empty. He went over to the windows, closed them, fastened them, and then seated himself at the phone and detached the receiver. He waited. There was no reply. He jiggled the hook. Still no response from central. He hung it up with an exclamation of vexation. Then, looking down, he descried the trouble. One of the two connecting wires leading into the box had been sheared clean off. He pulled up the wire and gazed at it in amaze- ment, merging into a dull, hopeless wrath. This thing was getting more complex than any other thing that he had ever con- fronted. 7 He glanced at the door. Foster was look- ing at him. The servant’s face was an enig- matic mask. ““ Come over here, please,” said Arthur. Foster complied. ‘““Do you see this?” Arthur held up the severed wire. “Yes, sir.” The servant was imperturb- able. “When Mr. Cassidy and Mr. Lyons came in here to telephone about twenty min- _ utes ago was this wire in working order?” “<¥es,; sir ** You are quite sure?” “‘ Quite sure, sir.” ‘““ Why are you quite sure?” “Because they got their connection, sir, and Mr. Cassidy talked with the party he was trying to reach. Then they decided to return to New York after making a little further investigation.” “So far as you know, then,” said Arthur, frowning, “ the wire was in working order when they came out with you?” : “*T am very sure it was, sir. And I came out with them.” Foster’s manner held no trace of guile, although his air was bland. The blandness, however, might intimate that he had a sus- picion that Arthur had tampered with the wire. — ) “‘ After you had gone,” said Arthur, hold- ing his voice to an impersonal level that was a credit considering his seething thoughts, Eomilrebooks ———— 2 (E@)