Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 92: what you’re looking at

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

_ haps even the house itself. Yet, gazing upon the profile of Mrs. Stone, and recall- ing vividly just what Mrs, Stone had said, the doubt that that person would exact vengeance by jailing her was so small as to be almost microscopic. Cynthia shivered again. There wouldn’t be any defense, would there, except the poor, weak-kneed truth that nobody would believe? Towner and Graves would be sworn. Quite honestly they would testify that she, the only person who could pos- sibly have taken it, had had the diamond in her pocket. And Nora—for they’d find Nora and administer the oath to Nora, and all that!—would have to say that the starving Cynthia had gone in search of a dinner. The rest of it was obvious—flam- boyant newspaper stories, pleas for mercy by sympathetic souls, columns of sob stuff anent the fate of young girls who came to the great city. But a jail sentence at the end of it and disgrace for her family, which was really a very fine and sensitive old family and had never had a member in prison. For herself, she would have been inclined to take the chance and run, just now; when it came to the thought of the rest of the folks and all the endless shame and gos- sip back home—although— Cynthia’s gaze settled intently upon Mrs. Stone again, and, blessedly, another section of the mental fog seemed to drift away. A new bit of understanding bore into her: whatever her own disclaimer earlier in thé evening, there really could be hardly a ‘doubt that this elderly lady was merely in- sane. Nobody but a crazy woman ever could have done the things that she had done to Cynthia Blair. Well, then? Must one’s whole life be shattered solely to humor the whims of a demented person? Cynthia sat up, breath- ing quite rapidly. Not Cynthia’s life, at all events, the proprietor of that particular life concluded! ; And now, as the seconds hurried along, a growing sense of outrage came to the lately bewildered visitor. It was a downright crime for the old lady’s family to permit her to do things like this! A sterner, less _ plastic person than Cynthia would have ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. been out of here long before now, breathing fire, calling for lawyers to demand dam- ages for the mental anguish inflicted. Miss Blair arose abruptly, not making any undue disturbance, to be sure, but with much determination. In bed or not in bed, she meant to find and interview that un- stable person who was Mrs. Stone’s daugh- ter; she meant to put into extremely plain language her sentiments on the whole sit- uation. After that she meant to leave— and if she had to use force she’d take Mrs. Ronalds with her for a five-minute call on Billy Brander, next door, and have that horror cleared up as well! So Cynthia pressed the button for Towner, gave one last look at Mrs. Stone, who slept sweetly as any little child, and soundlessly stepped into the corridor. She was, at last, a being in full command of herself once more, with rights and privileges that were not to be ignored. Towner advanced with a sober smile. He glanced at Cynthia and sighed. ‘You'll be wishing to be shown to your room, miss?” he asked sadly. “What? What room?” “On the floor above, if you please. Mrs. Stone ordered that the blue room—it used to be Miss Dora’s—was to be prepared for you and—” ‘““T don’t care to be shown to any room. ’m not staying,” Cynthia said with sur- passing briskness. “Oh, but—miss!” Towner protested. * But what?” “Well, the—the instructions were that you were to remain, I might say.” The restored Cynthia laughed amazedly ‘* Are you telling me that you have actually been ordered to prevent my leaving this house?” she demanded. ‘““Tt—it ain’t the most graceful way of putting it, Miss Blair, but at the same time, the—the general idea—’’? Towner stammered. ? “Well, I don’t know whether stripes are becoming to you, Towner, but you’re like- ly to find out, I should think, when my people hear of this. That sort of thing is criminal!” The butler smiled, almost in admira- tion, and shook his head wonderingly. Eomicboo ——— cS (S@)