Argosy All-Story Weekly, July 7, 1928 — page 111: what you’re looking at

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

NOW WERE RICH. string much longer, it will break. I was talking it over with Mrs. Burtis yesterday. The children are fond of each other—yes. And it doesn’t mean a thing. Years from now, they may possibly become engaged. “ It’s much more likely each will have forgotten the other ever lived. How- ever, Gerald’s going away at the end of this week to a technical school and he’ll be there two years, training to take charge of his father’s factories. Does that make you any happier?” “Tt does not!’ the remarkable Mor- row cried. “It makes me a darned sight more uneasy. They’re a high- pressure pair, those kids, and what may happen when they’re facing a two-year separation—what ?”’ “T think,” Laura said, “ you’re dis- gusting!” ‘“That’s quite possible. same time—” Henry picked up his paper, shook it out and hid behind its expanse. Per- haps he was! Perhaps his mind was a mere seething mire of filthy suspicion. And then again, perhaps it was nothing of the sort. So far as actual evidence went—well, no, he had no evidence. Perhaps it would be easier to read this paper if he didn’t hold it upside down. Perhaps he didn’t want to read it at all! “T think I’ll go up and climb in be- tween the sheets and forget it!’ he snapped! “T’ll be up shortly,” Laura said. Henry arose and yawned. Not even a protest, eh? Doubtless he bored this new Laura. Surely her expression in- dicated something of the kind. Well, he had never bored her in the good old days and he had no intention of begin- ning now. He grunted and tossed his paper to the table and then he paused and scowled, for a car had just rolled up the drive beside the house and stopped. “ Dog-gone it!” snarled Henry Mor- row. “Company! And I wanted to go to bed!” But at the 251 “ That sounded like our engine, Har- $a “ It 1s our engine,” Henry agreed, as the motor died with a too familiar clanking. “ Willie has come back for something.” Drearily enough, he waited for Wil- liam to appear; and William did appear within the half-minute and abruptly Henry straightened up and endeavored to smile pleasantly. William was not alone, you see. No indeed! William couldn’t leave his little painted friend at Henderson’s even long enough to come home and get whatever it was he wanted ; he had dragged her along with him! Although she wasn’t quite so heavily smeared with the pigments this eve- ning. Henry stared at her frankly. As a matter of mere justice, she looked almost human when all cleaned and scraped like this. She looked rather pop-eyed and scared, too. Well, so did Bill! Henry stared at Bill. “Well, hello, folks! William roared strangely, thickly. “Hello, son. What’s the matter with you?” Henry asked. “ Well—er—well—” William con- tinued gustily; and then he hurled an arm about little Joy and, with a cave- man jerk, pulled her close to him, “Well, anyway,” William forced out, “meet the wife!’ CHAPTER’ Xi¥. FURTHER CONSEQUENCES. AURA had risen, smiling the won- derful smile she always had ready for her adored man-child. But now the oddest little yelping gasp es- caped Laura and she reeled and clutched the back of a chair and stead- ied herself as she faltered: “Why, Willie—why, darling—” “ Meet the what?” Henry rasped. Smiling weirdly, William dragged out a handkerchief and mopped his pal- lid brow. CORNICGLOOKS (C@