Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 155: what you’re looking at

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

OUT OF THE WORLD FOR A WHILE. the trigger. Instead his hand dropped. An expression of amazement came into his eyes. He hadn’t the courage to add murder to his list of crimes in the face of so many wit- nesses, For five men were crowding into the room through the door. Holmes was in the lead. Behind him were the Federal operatives who had been in court when Allison was arraigned and the one who had called on Ruth afterward. Seagrave judged the fifth man was a plainclothes policeman. The raiders were all armed and their guns covered the other men in the room. “Up with your hands, all of you,” one of the Federal agents commanded. “Up, boys,” Allison said, fearing some of his companions might be betrayed into the folly of shooting. Those who had weapons dropped them to the floor. Their hands went aloft. One _of the men by the door advanced and picked up. the pistols and quickly and efficiently searched the prisoners for others. ‘ All clear,” he said, finding none. Holmes turned to Seagrave with fear in his eyes. ‘“ Where’s Ruth?” he asked. “T’m right here,” Ruth said, coming from behind the door. She was at Seagrave’s side and her hand lingered on his arm. 3 “ Oh, I see,” said Holmes, and he looked as if he saw a good deal. ‘“ Did you write the check for Allison, Mrs. Seagrave?” “T didn’t,” Ruth said. “ I’m afraid you won’t have that as evidence. Also I was afraid you were not outside the door. I thought there would be a little sound to let me know you were there. It was stupid of me not to bring a blank check, but I forgot all about it.” “How did you know that Allison would try to force her to write a check?” Seagrave wondered. “ Oh, we didn’t know,” Holmes answered. “We guessed it. It seemed logical.” “How did you happen to come here?” Seagrave asked. “We didn’t happen,” Holmes said. “ We came on purpose. After Radcliffe left Mrs. Seagrave’s house this evening, she phoned me. Her suspicions were aroused. I told 10 A 945 her to let me know if anything further de- veloped. Then she got the phone message ostensibly about you. We knew there was something in the wind. I didn’t want her to come down to meet these fellows, but she insisted. She said for the good of the busi- ness community we ought to trap Allison if we could. Quite a business woman, she is. “Well, she delayed leaving the house long enough to let me phone to these men and have them stationed in the park. We saw her leave with those crooks and followed. That’s about all there was to it.’ “What charge have you against me, gen- tlemen?”’ Allison asked. “Enough,” Holmes said shortly. ‘“ Your Uncle Sam will tell you all about it in due time.” He turned to Seagrave. “ There is no further use of your staying here—you and your wife,” he said. “Tt’s unpleasant enough for her,” Sea- grave said. He looked at Ruth. “ Shall we go?” he asked. Ruth nodded. Seagrave stepped through the door. Ruth passed Holmes on her way out. She put out her hand quickly and Holmes took it. Seagrave and Ruth descended slowly to the street. They walked apart, in silence, till they came to the old home. Often, in the dead days, they had sat on the steps of the front porch. Ruth, without a word, sat down there now and Seagrave sank down beside her. It was quite dark where they were. The leaves had come out on the elm trees and their drooping branches intensified the shad- ows of the night. “You will take over your father’s busi- ness to-morrow, Arthur,” she said. “TP?” he said in utter astonishment. “TI take over father’s business? Ah, I can’t do that, Ruth. My father can’t revoke the thing he did. That was final. It must for- ever go unchanged. It was what I de- served.” “There was a verbal codicil to your father’s will, Arthur,’ she said in a low voice. She sat staring into the gloom for a time, and then she went on as if it cost her an effort: CoOMmMicoooks.sEe©