Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 12, 1927 — page 61: what you’re looking at

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

THE CRUCIBLE. ~ no mistake in this first attempt. Quite visibly she was securing domination over a long wandering mind. “You are Sylvia Denby,” she said in the ghost of a voice. The other girl nodded. Sylvia.” ‘“ And I’ve seen you often before, haven’t bY Seg “Yes, I’ve been with you for nearly three weeks. You feel better now, don’t you?” ‘“ Much better. Wasn’t I sick for a long time and didn’t something happen when we were together?” “Yes, but we can afford to forget that now.” “You came here to take care of me, didn’t you?” ‘Yes, your brother engaged me in Lon- don.” An extraordinary change came over the thin but still lovely face. ‘““ My brother?” she whispered. “Yes, dear, you remember; King.” Beatrice stared at her. A stare in which astonishment, fear, resentment, and a com- plete and final understanding were vividly mingled. It was the look of a woman who knew, and could have been given by no other. She did not answer for a moment, but Sylvia was aware that myriad thoughts were arising in her brain, thoughts that were clear and consecutive and not empty imaginings of one afflicted. It gave her the feeling that she had discovered a new woman, one who had only a bodily likeness to the one she had known a few hours previously. Then the colorless lips moved. “T do not want to speak about myself now, but of you. Will you tell me just how you came here and where you came from?” Sylvia told her, and, as she spoke, she felt fortified in the belief that this time she was not ministering to a mind diseased. She told her all that she had told King, and more; told her of efforts to get a position, of her joy at the arrangement made in Moorgate Street, of the salary settled, of the sities oes for her and, added to this, “ Yes, dear, I’m te =. a ~ “=. = Sas Spebe 2 ais ae xe Marcus: nt of | Det: pues Piast ae i amet ana AL 55 the family disasters that had made her de- pendent upon her own effort. Beatrice lis- tened intently and,“at the end, made a sym- pathetic gesture. “It is all most interesting, and I know it is true. Is there not something else, per- haps nearer and dearer that you would like to tell me also?” Sylvia nodded and went on. She de- scribed Brent and the youth they had spent together, his boy’s devotion, his wander- ings and his letters and, lastly, the most important letter of all: asking her to be his wife and join him when he was able to | have her. Then she told of her answer to it and how, for some strange reason that she did not understand, she had given no details of her present position or even the name of her employer’ As she said this the frail hand of Beatrice closed suddenly over her wrist. ‘You were very wise not to do that—oh, I can’t tell you how wise you were.” Sylvia gazed at her. “ Why?” “You must not ask me anything, dear, now, and think not of me, but just of your- self. I feel that to-day I cannot do more than warn you to watch, watch everything and everybody. You must not appear to be on your guard, nor must you speak of anything except everyday matters to any one but myself, “There is no danger here for me now, because all I have to do is to lie quietly until my strength comes back and. then I shall be more than able to take care of myself. Did I ’—and here she sent the girl an unaccountable glance—“ did I say many queer things to you since you came?” Sylvia stroked her hand. ‘“ Some of them sounded very queer, but all the time I felt that some of them were true.” ‘“ Well, it doesn’t matter now, so please try to forget them. Sometimes the truth takes strange forms. Is ”—she hesitated and a quick flush rushed to her temples— “is Mr. King in the house?” ‘No, he has been away for a week on urgent business and is not expected back for some days, at least, so Mrs. Byfleet tells me.” ‘Has Mrs. Byfleet been kind to sO ie ne. quite.” Ss Ope vex? . aes, - a a « » se ae A ll cae Metin my tes = Be PRS ss ee ite = ae NaS pa Se RE ager ee ol Ss Bs ee ‘ rs alte BS ae Sas oe a = comicbo eae com