Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 123, No. 4 — page 174: what you’re looking at

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

680 “What do you mean?” “Uncle Gregory followed up that state- ment immediately by saying that he intend- ed instead to make us joint heirs.” She turned a startled face toward me. *‘ With no conditions attached?” ‘“‘ None whatever, except that he said he proposed to provide us each an allowance until the time of his demise, which he meant to put off as long as possible; and I, for one, hope he does, for I like the old boy. I really think he is fond of us and believes that our separate reasons for wanting the money are fair enough.” e Shirley turned her face away again, and was silent. “You see,” I went on after a short pause, “‘ that rather complicates the question of re- fusing the money, doesn’t it? He would feel decidedly hurt if we did—now.” ‘He is an old dear,” said Shirley, and her voice quivered. ‘At least he didn’t think I had helped my father plan all this dreadful thing.” ‘‘ Shirley, do you really believe 7 thought you did?” She kept her face still away. ‘“ Did you act as if you believed me innocent?” -I leaned forward. ‘“‘ How could I tell what to believe? You had knowledge that I hadn’t, and all the time your—my Uncle Richard—kept poisoning my mind with cleverly distorted facts. I never believed at any time that you were in league with him, although I did feel that perhaps some affection for him as your father remained— enough to make you wish to help him to get off. You left a note to warn him, if you remember.” ‘‘ How do you know?”’ she flashed. “I saw you put it on the safe, and I gave it to him myself, unknowingly.” ‘Qh, then you were spying on me!” ““T was in the library looking for a book when you came in. I didn’t-know who it was, at first, so naturally remained hid be- hind the screen. If you like to call that spying on you, then I suppose it was.” ‘‘ What did he say when he saw it?” she asked more quietly. “T thought he seemed touched.” “Qh!” Her voice held an angry pain. ‘But why did you suppose I would take saiveany Google ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. all the trouble to go down and leave the message on the safe when it would have been much easier to have warned him my- self of. the presence of Murphy on the island?” It was my turn to look ashamed. “ That was what I asked myself, and I couldn’t make it fitin. I know I’ve been unjust in even thinking that you had anything to do with it, but I swear to you, Shirley, that I never really believed that you knew your father was pretending to be Uncle Greg- ory. _ “YT should never have suspected you at all, but he himself hinted that you were in league with your father—that was the pre- tended reason he gave for keeping you out of Murphy’s room when he really wanted to prevent the man’s telling you the truth; and you must confess that all the rest— your evident recognition of Murphy, your changed attitude toward me—served to show that there was an understanding of some sort.”’ “Yes, I know,” she murmured. “ He told me lies about you, too, and I was equally suspicious. It was hard to believe - any one or anything.” “And”—I pressed my advantage— “remember, that whenever I tried to get you to talk frankly with me, you always evaded answering. You said yourself that ‘it would only complicate matters.’ ” She grew an uncomfortable red and turned her eyes away. “It would still, it was only foolish pride that made-me act so. I realized that both you and our supposed great-uncle suspected me, and that appearances were all against me, and it only made me the more deter- mined not to explain.. Now I'll tell you everything I know. ‘* Clinch ’ Murphy came to see me just before I left for here. I don’t know how he got my-address, but he appeared, and by every means in his power tried to get news of my father’s whereabouts. I really didn’t know myself, for, after my mother left my father when I was fifteen, we went West, hoping to lose sight of him altogether. At intervals he wrote to us for money which we scraped together, somehow, and then for a time we had peace. 1EDoOok