Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 123, No. 4 — page 167: what you’re looking at

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

MOORS END. have been foolish to have put # in the desk, but I compromised by putting it into another spot as well used.” I shook my head as he paused expect- antly. “T haven’t the faintest idea, unless—it’ S the bed.” My uncle shook his head in turn with a smile. “7m afraid you also are not as religious ae you Suit ‘De Please hand me that Bible.” I jumped to my Seek and caught up the Bible, a huge black family affair with heavy gilt-edged pages, which lay on a table by the window. “ By jove, not in here?”’ “T think so. , Yes, here it is just where I placed it—in ‘ Revelations ’!” 673 days was fairly clear to me now, but one thing still remained a disquieting mystery; how much had Shirley to do with it? Clinch’s story had only made the matter worse, and her own attitude was merely deepening it. It had long become evident to me that she was purposely avoiding being alone with me; and the only time I had opened the subject of her father, she had flatly refused to continue. Whether Uncle Gregory had any idea as to her share in it, I could not determine; he had spoken of her to me very nicely and with much grati- tude. Was the harm ¢hat an unscrupulous, clever man had planned, to react im this fashion on his daughter; and was I to carry the poison of suspicion around with me for the rest of my life? The thought nearly My uncle’s dry tone was irresistible; that- drove me frantic, for I realized now what and the cleverness of the scheme struck me amidships. I fairly roared with laughter to which Uncle Gregory joined a Teebie cackle. ‘““'You’ve won,” I exulted, “ even at the loss of the safe.” He grew suddenly grave. “T had to! This paper is the only hold I have over a human wolf, I couddn’t afford to lose it. It’s a check for twenty thou- sand dollars with my forged signature done by him five years ago and it means twenty .years in jail if I choose to press the charge. “] had warned him when it was done that if he did any more crooked work, I would expose him.” He probably had a job in hand and -needed the check to protect himse f. knew I would do as I said, and ”— my great-uncle’s voice grew stern and hard and his eyes implacable—“ if this attempt is repeated, I shall certainly do so. I in- tend to leave it in the hands of my lawyer with instructions that if he does not hear from me by the first of each month, to prosecute Richard. Only, in this way will I be safe. I should have done this be- fore.” I saw that he was getting excited againg and suggested that he sleep a little. When he was quietly dozing once more, I sat there reflecting on what I had heard. Nearly everything that had passed in the last three 11 A e Shirley meant to me and what I wanted to be to her. I resolved to tell her that nothing should come between us, and that I trusted her and believed her entirely innocent of any complicity in, even knowledge of, her father’s scheme. this last, when every bit of reasoning I pos- sessed pointed another way? Hang it all, I would lie if necessary, I ' couldn’t jive without Shirley, no matter what she had done!. | I heard her coming at this moment, and I stepped quickly out into the hall. “ What is it?” she exclaimed at the sight of my set face. “Is uncle worse?” “No, I want to speak to you.” “Can't it wait? Uncle’s beef-tea will be getting cold.” She had a cup and saucer in her hand. I took them from her*and set them down on the table. - “ He is asleep now, it won’t de him any - harm to wait. I want to talk to you.” She raised her eyebrows at my.masterful tone, but she waited nevertheless. “Shirley,” I said abruptly, “will you marry ‘me?” ‘““No, Carlos, I won’t.” Her calm refusal angered me. I was con- scious I hadn’t made a good beginning, but I blundered on. ‘Wait a moment. You are angry at me Origina ro Y (OOO But, did I really believe, el