Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 4, 1922 — page 147: what you’re looking at

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

BY WAY OF A CHAPERON. the waiting-room. Settling herself behind one of the morning papers, she tried to make herself believe that there is no place like a station in which to have the time pass quickly. She had read that some- where. At the end of ten minutes she was sur- prised to find the train-time still vaguely remote. Another ten minutes and it seemed half a lifetime. She wondered when she was due in Bos- ton. She had forgotten to ask. She hoped it would be before dark, for Constance was not expecting her, and she had never vis- ited her before. She hadn’t dared to write, for fear Con- stance might not approve of what she was doing. Anyway, she would have felt it her bounden duty to remonstrate. And Jacque- line’s mind was fully made up. Once in Boston she could talk things over, win Con- stance’s sympathy, and convince her that she was receiving very unfair treatment from her family. Any one could see with half an eye that after a girl had been away to boarding- school for four years and had been led to expect that she could stay at home and enjoy life after those same strenuous four years, it was beastly unfair to tack on an extra, for “ finishing off ” purposes. “Tt’s all on account of the money,” Jacqueline addressed the newspaper she held as a shield in front of her. “If Grandfather Bolter hadn’t died and left mother all that extra money, they never ' would have thought of finishing me off. After moving into that big new barn of a place she still had so much left over she didn’t know what to do with it. So she and the others happened to think of me. That’s the worst of being the youngest of a large family. “I’m perfectly well finished by four long years at the Misses Luggs. And the family made one huge mistake when they thought they could sidetrack me to Mme. Girards for one whole year more. ‘“ Now there’s Constance already married to Robert, and settled in her own cozy home. I suppose it’s cozy. I don’t really know, for I never visited it. But anyway that one year at school she had the knack - getting on.” 457 of making our room as attractive as any there. “Not Constance any more, but Mrs. Robert Livingston. I only knew her that one year at school, and its three years ago now. But, keeping up such a vigorous cor- respondence, I feel as if I knew her as well as if I had seen her just yesterday. It’s a good thing I thought of her when I decided to run away, for my respected family will never think of looking*for me there. ‘““T want a home. I want to be able to do things when the spirt moves, and not an old cling-clang bell. Four years of living according to schedule is enough for any one, and it’s time my family realized it. Perhaps they have by this time.” Jacqueline grinned cheerfully as she pic- tured the confusion of the household when they discovered that she was missing. “I think I’ll let them know as soon as I get to Constance’s. They really deserve to worry for a while. Then perhaps next time they'll listen to my side of the question. After giving them a good old scare and letting an uneasy conscience work, I think I can return home and do just about as [ please.” Again Jacqueline grinned. “ The thing to do now is to get safely to Constance’s. I suppose no expense will be spared to lo- cate me as soon as possible.” Jacqeuline lowered the paper and glanced anxiously about. ‘‘ Wonder how long it takes to get things in motion in a case of this.kind? I wish I was safely in Boston—or even on the train—or at least that it was train- time.”’ 3 She glanced at her watch and found that she had half an hour yet to wait. ‘“ We’re She again retired behind the newspaper. ‘“ The train will be called now before I know it. Then-a quick run—Bos- ton—a taxi to Constance’s—and all my troubles will be over. “The only danger is waiting around here. Any minute some one I know may come in and see me. I don’t suppose they would recognize my feet, though, so long as I can hold this paper in front of my face, I’m all right. Wonder how near train-time it is now?” Again glancing at her watch, she found COmiCclbooks.Gom