Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 123, No. 3 — page 125: what you’re looking at

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

loots. Bnd bf, Jeannette I. Helm. Anuther ef “The Hease ef the Purple Stairs,” etc. PRECEDING CHAPTERS BRIEFLY RETOLD ARLOS BRENT received a letter from his great-uncle, Gregory Deane, who lived alone in a house called ““Moars End,” on the island of Seetucket, off the Massachusetts coast, asking him to two weeks there. The old man was about to make his will, and intended to leave his entire estate to either Carlos or his second cousin, Shirley Deane, who was to stay at Moors End later. That afternoon Carlos left New York for Seetucket, on a Sound steamboat. Aboard he became acquainted with a pretty girl, and that night had a tussle with a hard-looking character, apparently an ex-prize-fighter, who had tried to break into her stateroom. On another boat, bound for Seetucket, he learned that the girl was Shirley Deane, his rival for their great- -uncle’s fortune. Carlos liked the girl, and perhaps would have withdrawn from the contest but for an invalid half-sister, who needed his help financially. He and Shirley agreed to be “ good” enemies, but each was determined to get the fortune. Gregory Deane lived alone—except for a man-servant—in a handsome ‘house i in a lonely part of the island. As he and Shirley approached the house Carlos thought that he saw the ex-pug hiding behind a tree, but could not be sure. The house was deserted; the front door unlocked. The man and the girl entered; found food; made themselves comfortable in comfortable rooms, Some time in the night Carlos heard some one descending the stairs; following, he saw a man attempting to force a safe in the lower hall. Carlos attacked the fellow and was knocked out. Next morning an elderly man introduced himself as Uncle Gregory and said that he had been mm the house all night, suffering from a headache. Carlos could find no trace of the intruder, although the bridge connecting Moors End and the main part of the island had been blown down by a storm in the, night. Uncle Gregory was in turn suave and harsh, and seemed te favor Carlos, who suggested that he divide his estate between the second-cousins. When Shirley heard of this she was furious, and Carlos, also angry, cried: “ Yll win this money—and you in the bargain.” That night Uncle Gregory was attacked by an intruder and saved by Carles, who later searched the house and island, but could find no trace of the man. His great-uncle caught him looking through the keyhole of a room on the top floor, and was furious, saying that the personal souvenirs. room contained Shirley and Carlos found a secret passage leading frem the _— to a beat-house on 2 small harbor. A dory was approaching the island and was capsized in the surf. Carles rescued its occupant, and found that he was the canis orice of the Sound beat. CHAPTER XVII. IN THE NIGHT. HE cut proved to be a minor affair; but he must have struck his head hard, for. he was still half uncon- scious and breathing heavily. There was a dipper in the boat which I filled with water and dashed over his face. The man’s eyelids quivered and then unclosed; he Iooked up into Shirley’s face, and over his own came an evident recog- nition. He spoke a few words hoarsely and we both bent over. to listen. ‘“* He’s here.” His eyes closed again and he relapsed into total unconsciousness. ‘He? Who does he mean?” I. asked, puzzied. Shirley did not answer but, from the look of fear that sprang. into her eyes, I felt sure she knew or at least suspected, to whom he referred. “We must get him up to the house at This story began in the All-Stery Weekly fer July 10. 407 Digitized by (Go ogle Ori Pagar z) fro AKO) = KeboOok CO