Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 123, No. 3 — page 121: what you’re looking at

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

” THE GHOST. “You're awfully impatient and just a little sullen, aren’t you?” said Valerie. He took off his cap and stood twisting it between his hands; so that the slant morning sun set fire to his hair, for it was a sort of bronze-red and curled thick and- s:.ort and close to his head. Usually when Van Siebert tried to be grave he was only boyishly wistful, but now he was different— Valerie recognized the change at once. Yet he began, lightly enough: “ How in the world did you manage to get from that crowd and come back meee in a mo- ment?”’ ““T saw you were sngry--and I just man- aged it. Sit down again and I'll take this hump of turf.” “I'd rather stand for what I have to say.” It was characteristic of Valerie that she made no attempt to evade the issue. She merely nodded, as much as to say: “I know!” “But, after all,” said Van Siebert, “ there’s no use in a lot of words. Only, T have to know what the end is going tq be—and I have to \know it now!” She had picked up a little switch during the hunt and now she held it between her extended hands and turning it slowly. “I'd tell you this minute, if I could.” “Is it fair to dodge?” “You know that I never dodge. merely trying to make up my mind.” “Valerie, it’s desperately hard to be about you like this, month after month. I’m _ Dve held myself in check till my muscles ache and my head swims, and it makes me sick at heart to think of all the times I’ve talked to you with one eye watching for an intruder and one ear cocked to hear an approaching step. It can’t go on!.” ‘It can’t go on,” she agreed. ‘“ You’re growing worse every day—your eyes follow me about in such a way. Only yesterday Mrs. Redding said: ‘I don’t know which is the more patient, George or your husband.’ Yes, if we don’t come to a decision we'll come to a scandal. Every one is beginning _ to watch; they’re hungry to make miscon- structions, John is the only one who sees nothing. Can’t you give me a ttle more time?”’ 403 “Time?” cried Van Siebert. ‘“ My God, Valerie! Can’t you say yes or no? Take. me or send me away!” “I don’t want to send you away, but the other thing—give me a little more time. I’ve never been the sort to jump to con- clusions. You know that.” ‘But this will run on forever, and every day is a distinct and separate hell for me. I can’t stand it!” “It’s as hard for me as it is for you. Whenever you’re near me I’m in a panic and it seems to me that some one is bound to see. When you shake hands it’s ages before you let my fingers go, and even then your eyes follow me and take hold of me and possess me. George, you throw your attentions around me.” He stepped closer to her and looked down into her face, for he was a big fellow of the build which has weight without heavy- feotedness, and now he stood poised and eager aS a young crusader ready for battle. ‘““T don’t know what keeps me from it, Valerie,” he said in a low voice. ‘Your fine gentleness,” she answered. “Do you think it’s that? Last night I couldn’t sleep, so I got up and sat before the window. The sky was very dark, but after a time I could make out the dark, pointed tops of the trees wavering against it and I could hear the wind going threugh the branches like a far-off sea. That sounds—mushy—tike poetry, eh? But I didn’t feel that way. I wanted to have you somewhere out in that forest where I could break the damned chain of conven- tion that keeps you here at Wandermere, unhappy.” : “But I’m not unhappy. I suppose I Should be, but somehow it’s impossible for me to be unhappy long. Just when I’m about to become properly blue and think about life and death and such things, I’m sure to hear some one laugh, or see how yellow the sunshine is—and then away I -go and forget everything.” “Valerie—oh, confound it!” “Me, you mean.” But her smile seemed to spur him, He gave a little sharp cry and caught her close to him. He pressed her head against his shoulder and kissed her. ) Ori iginal fro Ke o) a (e a) NOOK CO HE OHIO STATE UI THE