Argosy All-Story Weekly — "Sea Marauders" — page 116: what you’re looking at

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

i ‘ - ty A Ribs MoM t ae tits gird bla f adie ; ier Soe Kl rity.) ret, ty AY CCA 8 4 Py ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. - Mr. Melton arose and mustered a worried frown. This frown he escorted directly into the study of Colonel Samson Bragg. “Tm_ sorry, sir,’ he said briefly, stiffly. ‘ve been called away. I shall have to leave at once.” The colonel sat back and nodded. “Really, Mr. Vane? No trouble, I trust?” “Very, very serious trouble!” “Umum,” said the colonel. “So may I have Haggin get my grip, sir?” The colonel caressed his chin. “Frankly, Vane, no, you may not,” he said evenly. “I am sorry to inter- fere with whatever plans you may have +9 made, but you are remaining here for awhile.” * But I tell you—” “Yes, I heard you say quite loudly that you’d be down at once,” Bragg smiled strangely. “It was too obvi- ously for my benefit. ‘You are stay- ing.” z I am, eh?” Richard began. “ Well, my dear sir, if—” “ 'That’s enough of the bluster, right there, Vane!” said the same unruffled voice. “ Be seated, will you? The time has come, apparently, when you and I must understand each other. I am not an ass, you know; nor am [I blind or deaf or incapable of reasoning. I may even go so far as to say that I under- stand my own shortcomings and ap- preciate to the full your more youthful charms.” : “ TT don’t know what you're talk- ing about!’ Richard sought to say with eold dignity, and succeeded only in sputtering. “Oh, yes, you do. In any case, I mean to make myself clearer. There is, plainly enough, some sort of attach- ment between Mrs. Bragg and’ your- self,’ the colonel continued in a matter- of-fact way that was almost as chilling as any rage, as he placed the tips of his fingers together and coolly considered _. Richard over them. “ How long this has been going on, I do not know. Neither do I know the depth or the genuineness of this attachment. But I mean to know.” He leaned forward. He might have spared himself the trouble of nailing down poor Richard with his~ eyes. Richard just then was quite incapable of any motion. | “My present impression,” pursued Mr. Bragg, “ is that this is a new flirta- tion. I mean to say that Mrs. Bragg may have seen you recently and have decided to have you in the household. *“ But be sure of this, Vane,” he said, his voice sharpening dangerously, “ I am not a man who tolerates trifling of this character in his home. Your idea—if such it happens to be—of pausing for a playful little visit and then flitting off again is doomed to failure. “You'll remain until I have estab- lished the status of this case to my own satisfaction. And then, of course, if it turns out to be a flirtation, I shall kick you down the steps!” “ But—” Richard began dazedly. “ However,” the gentleman went on, almost in a monotone, ‘‘I have been absorbed in my business; the old story, you know. I’m not prepared to say that this hasn’t been going on for some time without my knowledge. Should I find proof, in whatever way, that this is the case, you'll go at once, of course!” =: “ Well—” Richard began. “And when you do go,” the colonel added, with a faint smile, “you will take Mrs. Bragg with you, Vane, to be your own forever and ever!” CHAPTER XV. THE LAST FETTER. HIS time Mr. Melton gasped + aloud. Mr. Bragg merely smiled his grim and whimsical smile. “Why, I wonder, is the ear such a coward?” he mused. ee