Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 5, 1921 — page 40: what you’re looking at

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

826 supposed to help Julia with the household affairs. But Julia had an innocent way of ignoring help of any sort from anybody.: She was a giver of assistance, not a receiver. Derrick, itemporarily installed in his uncle’s place at the works, found Julia constantly at his elbow. At first it was thought to be impossible that he could accompany his regiment to India. From the point of view of usefulness to the country, Tavenor’s Limited was of greater importance. Not only could he have got his discharge, but if there were no one else to take command of the foundries and shipyards, it would have been forced upon him. Gradually, however, it was borne in upon Derrick that Julia knew ever so much more about the business than he could hope to learn in the next five years. She seemed to have the whole thing at ‘her fingers’ ends. Whenever he got into a muddle he sent for her, if she didn’t happen to be there al- ready, in preference to displaying his ig- norance to the various managers and fore- men. Julia could run Tavenors’ with one hand tied, and Derrick felt himself to be super- fluous. After all—why not? The war had developed the business in- Stinct in many women, and, in common with all sensible men, Derrick Tavenor saw no reason to resent it. Her father was a rich man, and responsible for a hundred separate enterprises. In the circumstances it was a lucky thing she had kept in touch with all of them. She was the only member of the house- hold who seemed to understand Sir Wil- liam’s confused articulations. This last stroke hadn’t killed him, contrary to pre- dictions, but it had marked a serious step in the progress of his malady. The doctors feared a lesion of the brain. He must not be allowed to worry-—so the old slogan went. Rest and quiet. So he lay on his back in a semidarkened room, and worried himself to the verge of madness. Julia, who pretended to understand every- thing else he said, and who really did carry out most of his instructions, could never be made to comprehend when he told her “ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. that the case of Grace Howland must be re- considered immediately. He wanted to say much more than that—but not to Julia. However, there was little use in trying even to say that, for Julia always took it to mean something in connection with a Harland estate that was invested in Tavenors’. As for Letty—those were very dark days for her. The shadow of discovery that had hung over her seemed temporarily dissi- pated. Because it obviously caused her pain, Derrick had put Gerald Stansbury’s photograph away. There was so much sad- ness for her, anyway, with the uncertainty of his own immediate future and the great anxiety attending Uncle Bill’s illness. Somehow, all the happiness they had an- ticipated had resolved into a muddled state that resembled chaos. of each other. Derrick was at the Works from early morning often until late at night. Julia flew back and forth in the car twenty times a day, holding the reins of govern- ment of both places in her frail hands. She never complained of fatigue, but she al- ways looked so tired that Derrick wondered how she managed to stand it. Then, one afternoon, about ten days after Sir William’s stroke, Derrick and Julia had a very serious interview. She made it quite clear to him where his duty lay. The next day he went up to London again, and when he returned it was very late and the household had -settled down for the night. | He expected that Letty would be in bed, sound asleep, and had no intention of wak- ing her, but she was waiting up for him. From the expression of his face she knew what had happened, although he hadn’t warned her. . “You're going, Derrick! You're going out to India, leaving everything like this— and Uncle Bill likely to die!” ‘“‘ Letty—you promised you’d be brave—” ‘But can’t you see how everything’s al- tered?” ‘“ Julia can run the business. she will—and she can do it.” “ Derrick, that’s what she wants—to get you away. Then everything will be in her hands, including me. No—no—if you go, She says T go, too. 1 couldn't line nndefofSm eco They saw so little.