Argosy All-Story Weekly, January 13, 1923 — page 101: what you’re looking at

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

GOOD LOOKING AND RICH. “ That’s true, too!’’ whined the stricken man, as he arose and tottered to his own room. Mr. Wolcott strolled after him and, pausing in the doorway, watched. “Yes?” John said, faintly. ‘Mr. Harley?” purred Althea’s familiar tone. “ Yes.”’ ‘“‘ Dearest!” purred the voice. And there was a pause, wherein Mr. Har- ley dribbled down into his chair behind the desk and drooped over the instrument. “John, dear! Are you there?” the voice inquired, with a little rising inflection. ‘Oh, yes, I’m here,” Mr, Harley ad- mitted. “Why, your voice sounds so weak and— and shaky!” said the young woman. “You're ill—I knew you were! i knew that I shouldn’t have let you go like that. Jack!” “ Yes?” “T’m coming down with the car for you, and I’m going to bring you home here and put you to bed and take care of you! That silly Wolcott man can’t look after you, and I won’t trust you to any paid nurse. You have him pack a bag for you and —” “ Well, wait!” Mr. Harley cried, and his voice had gained remarkably in volume and resonance these last seconds. “I’m all right, Althea; on my word of honor, I never felt better in my life. I’ve got a lot of work here that has to be done over*Sunday and—” ‘ “ Are you really ail right?” “ [—I feel fine!” said John. Over the wire came a light sigh of relief. The note of concern left the voice and it’ grew very soft again. “ Darling, did you get a wire from dad?” 4 Ah—yes y? “ Don’t you know that I’ve been waiting and waiting and waiting for you? I thought that you’d come instantly, dear. I waited until I couldn’t stand it any longer,” said Miss Wicks. ‘“ Think of it, Jack! This week!” ‘“‘Ves, I—I—I’ve been thinking of it!” mumbled Mr. Harley. “ Aren’t you glad?” inquired Althea, with - just a hint of dismay. | From his varying expressions, Mr, Wol- > al ne - aS he ot. ar - dh See ee os == —* ees OE a . a PS ES cott in the doorway deduced that some sort of mental tornado was raging within his old friend. Wolcott stared hard. John -had turned white by degrees and had then turned an angry red quite suddenly; from this tint he was working, again by degrees, to a rich and infuriated purple. His lips were Opening and his shoulders were squar- ing; John Harley, in fine, was on the point of telling the whole truth in a few crisp words! And as his mouth opened the incon- venient specter of Dr. Fosdyck materialized just across the desk. “There'll be quite a rumpus, will there - not, when you’ve told that girl you’re actu- ally not in love with her?” the specter in« — quired. ‘‘ She will wire her father and he, unquestionably, will come back to Ebbridge on the first train. After that, whatever happens is likely to be somewhat noisy and spectacular; and whatever it may be, it will come to your Aunt Faith’s ears and—” ‘“ Ah—ah—glad!” John echoed sudden= ly, and with so much feeling that his voice trembled. ‘ You bet I’m glad Althea!” ““ Come and see me, sweetheart, and let’s make our plans?” suggested Miss Wicks. And here Wolcott grew puzzled again, Mr. Harley’s personal tornado had appar- ently subsided, leaving him rather exhaust- ed; but while every line of his face indicated the most acute distress, his voice was full and soft and sincere as a voice could have been. . “ Darling,” he said, ‘‘ that’s the one thing in the world I’d like to do and I can’t do it to-day. This beastly work I brought home simply has to be cleared away or my whole end of the office will be upside down all week, I know that’s pretty awful when things have taken the lovely turn they have, and I'll try to make up for it later; but to- day—” ‘“‘ And I must wait until to-morrow to see you again?” Althea asked with the same astounding humility. “Tt’s harder on me than it is on you!” John actually contrived to laugh. There was a little more of this vapid con- ‘versation before Miss Wicks finally rang off, but it did end at last, leaving Wolcott more puzzled than ever; for Mr. Harley,