Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 123, No. 4 — page 69: what you’re looking at

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

BEWARE OF can tune. He had monopoly on the goed cheer in that immediate section of the Cypria Apartments, however. Inside the armor, a frightened little squeal was born, to issue with the same muffied effect that marked the coming of all sounds from that ill-starred costume. “‘ It—can’t be!” Mary stated. “ Nevertheless, it would almost seem to be,” Thomas smiled sadly. “I got what dope I could on the subject, which wasn’t much. It appears that a hurry-call was sent out and the faithful girls just dropped everything and ran and—” ‘“* Never mind Nell, then! If she’s gone, she’s gone!”” Mary cried, quite frantically. ‘** How can we get in here? Are you strong enough to break down the door?” Her mailed hands gripped his arm and shook as if to spur him into action. Thomas detached himself gently and, putting a thumb upon the buzzer-button beside Peter Noble’s door, kept it there. “ Patience, Mary,” said he. ‘ Don’t get excited. A really bright idea came to me, there in the elevator. We might ring, like this, and have Peter let you in. He can vacate while you dress.” “ He isn’t. there!” “No? Where is he then?” — “ At the ball—somewhere.” “1m afraid not,’’ said Thomas. ‘ I’d know that walk of Pete’s in a crowd of ten thousand and Peter wasn’t among those present this evening.”’ He shifted fingers, since the first was growing rather cold and tired, and pressed again. Far away in the apartment, the tiny note of the buzzer was just audible. That was all! ‘“‘He’s not here either, apparently,” said Mary’s protector, with a puzzled stare at the unanswering door.- “I don’t under- stand that at all.” | “ Well, Tommy, whether you understand it or not, my suit’s in there—” » wiany be- gan. —*T had some such impression, Mary— and it’s important to get to it, yes!” young’ Mr. Henning answered with the merest hint of acerbity in his tone. ‘‘ My grasp of the whole situation is quite clear by this time! Wait here!” * THE BRIDE. 575 ‘What for>?”’ ‘ Just while I go down and shake up the superintendent, Mary. Ill tell him I’m locked out of my flat and borrow his pass- keys. He must have some.” “Your flat? Do you live here, too?” “The door immediately opposite, my child. I rented it when it seemed reason- ‘ably certain that I was to marry Dolly, you know.” He was gone again! His color was dis- tinctly higher as he sped down-staifS at the same break-neck speed, too; one does one’s level darnedest to help one’s fellowman—or _ woman—of course, and when the woman is one so adorable as Mary, one does even a little more, perhaps. But there does come a time when one’s own affairs demand some attention, too. Rather than showing any tendency to fade, that last vision of Dolly Hayes seemed to be graven deeper into Thomas Henning’s mind as the minutes passed? He knew Dolly quite well, he felt; for a certain limited period—even for another half-hour, perhaps—it might be possible to approach Dolly and effect a reconciliation. But if this thing went on much longer, the continued absence from Dolly’s side of a soft-speaking, humbly apologetic penitent, was going to signify plain callous neglect of Miss Hayes and _ indifference to her feelings. : Hence, arriving at the basement, it is pos- sible that Thomas may have put undue force into the fist that hammered the su- perintendent’s door, for that person ap- peared suddenly, with only one slipper and suspenders trailing, and gasped: ‘What is it? © What’s the matter? Fire?” | “ T’ve locked myself out—that’s all,” said Thomas. ‘I want to borrow your pass- keys.” The superintendent relaxed massively. “TI ain’t got any pass-keys,” he said, finishing a previously interrupted yawn. “* There’s only just the two keys for each of these apartments, Mr. Henning, but— will you just wait a second, please?” He scuffed into his own domain, while Thomas stood and fumed. Far away some- where, he made jingling sounds, as if, rum- oe from mor Aue mee THE OHIO STATE mle NOOK