Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 123, No. 4 — page 164: what you’re looking at

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

670 and was already forewarned? Surely she could have communicated with him in some less clumsy way, unless she had purposely wanted to leave evidence that would show her ignorance in the event of discovery. Confound it, I was getting involved in a network of suspicion and, so far as I could see, Clinch’s statements had not made mat- ters better. I thanked him, and went away thoroughly depressed, but clinging obsti- nately to my belief that Shirley could not . possibly be a partner to anything under- hand or treacherous. @ CHAPTER XXVII. REVELATIONS. T was now time for my turn to stay with Uncle Gregory, so I went up to his room , Where I found him sleeping, with Shirley reading beside his bed. She got up, fnd after giving me a few directions, silently left the room. I sat down in the arm-chair and studied the “face of the sleeping man, observing with satisfaction that he had improved greatly under good care and skilful feed- ing; and although still weak, had already lost much of his emaciated look. Seen, thus, in repose, I could trace a de- ~ cided resemblance to his nephew; the shape — of the face was much the same; but, al- though the nose was not so fine, the mouth was not-so mean. It was a face of far less promise and brilliancy, but more like- able; and although there were hard limes in it, they seemed to have come more from a shy nature thrusting away the world, than from one at enmity with it. On the whole, I decided that I could feel more at ease with the owner of this face than with his nephew. As if he were conscious of my scrutiny, he opened his eyes, which were quite the best features of his face, direct and clear, ' although shrewd. “Well, Carlos,” he said, ‘“ we’ve given you rather a different welcome from what you expected, eh?” “It was lively, to say the least! I sup- pose Shirley has told you how we arrived to find the house completely empty.” Dic g itiz ry Go ogle ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. ‘Not so empty as you think,” returned my uncle dryly. ‘‘ At the precise moment you rang the bell, my nephew had just threatened to kill me. I wonder hé didn’t attack you also, but he probably thought _he could get off better unseen.” « ‘ Please tell me how it happened—unless it will tire you too much.” “TY dont think so, it will be a relief to tell it to some one. If you had been tied up and gagged for three days in that miser- able little room you’d be glad to talk, too. ‘‘T had my suspicions that Richard in- tended making an effort to get a certain in- criminating document, which I hold, and I knew he would : stop at nothing to attain his ends. I had taken every precaution: iso- lated myself as far as possible; and kept a large, savage dog—”’ “He’s gone,” I interrupted. “ Your brother told me he had died some time ago. I found a dog-collar under a heap of things in the laundry.” ‘““He killed poor Jock, then. Peter left me with misgivings, but his sister was really very sick—and I expected to have you with me—”’ - “ One moment,” I broke in again. “ Did you intend to ask Shirley and me at the same time?’ He looked puzzled. “Why, no, I thought I’d asked her two weeks later—I must have confused the dates. It is fortunate she came down, how- ever, for she is a splendid little nurse. Peter tells me that but for her quick action, I might have died; and as it seems I owe my being discovered to you, Carlos, I have to thank you heth equally.” Either his illness had softened Uncle Gregory or he was not so crabbed as we had thought; for he gave me the grateful smile of a shy man deeply moved. “I’m very glad to have been of service,” I said, moved in my turn, but not knowing just how to show it. ‘“ The credit really belongs to Shirley, she has been very plucky — all through it. How did you manage to make the tapping I heard?” ‘““T couldn’t move hand or foot, but I could roll a little from one side to the other, and I found out that when I did so, one foot of the cot hit against the wall, making the Ori gin nal from Og OHIO STATE UOTE DOOlX