Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 23, 1924 — page 43: what you’re looking at

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

THE COLLISION. “And your idea is for me to greet him this evening with a half a dozen more, I presume?” “You grow brighter. It is.” “T await, all mysterious in the bushes, and fell him as he approaches the lady fair?” “You do.” “ Taking advantage of the fact that he is lame in one leg and unsteady of brain?” “Tf you like to fall in with his little con- ceit, yes. And Cowper will be at hand to help you.” “For your sake, fair lady, and because I think that this is fate’s manner of bring- ing forth a yes from those sweet lips, I’d talk a dumb man to death or throttle an octogenarian who was choking on a fish bone. Who is Cowper?” She rang the bell. “ Cowper is the butler,” she explained. And Cowper entered. - Cowper, this is Mr. Gilfillan. He has accepted the job of night watchman for the grounds.” She grinned mischievously at the surprised Mr. Gilfillan. ‘“ I'll leave you with him to make any arrangements you can. That Drayton has threatened to come and visit us to-night.” Cowper frowned, secretly relieved that he had an ally with whom to greet the in- vader. “Ves, miss,” he promised, and bowed as she left the room. ‘‘ Now, then, young fellow, if you'll do as you’re told, and take directions as I give them, you'll have no cause to complain, I’m sure, and Miss Ray will be properly thankful.” He pursed his lips and strove to impress Gilfillan with his superiority by sheer effect of eyebrow and that supercilious lock of hair. “Miss Ray thought I had better lurk in the bushes,” suggested Gilfillan meekly. Cowper brightened at that. “ A very good idea,” he said. shall sit in the hall.” “JT have been directed to give him a thrashing,” continued Gilfillan. Cowper was visibly pleased. “‘ My own thought,” he confided from one side of his ample mouth. ‘“ And do it near the fountain if you can. He ought to be ducked—and ’eld under.” “ And I ees are 5 ee eee, Me Se, —— Ss ns ee = aS SS < <a aa 201 ‘ Suppose you attend to that part of it,” suggested Gilfillan. Cowper assumed an expression which might almost have been described as doubt- ful. 7 “No, you,” he rejoined. “All right. But supposing he gets by me. I presume he will come to the door. Will you administer the thrashing then?” Cowper nodded very confidently. “ [ will,” he said. Gilfillan appraised the frail form of the attenuated butler. If one hit it, reflected he, one might break it. ‘“He’d muss you up considerably,” he warned him. Cowper shook his head. “No,” he said with assurance. Then, confidently: “‘ The master’s fowling piece; I shall ’ave it under my arm.” Gilfillan’s expression bordered on the mirthful. Cowper eyed him suspiciously. ‘““ Now, none of yer cheek, young feller!”’ he warned. “ Just go to your room over the garage, take your meals in the servants’ ‘all, and when I say be ready, why, be ready—and no nonsense about it, either.” ‘Yes, sir,” said Gilfillan meekly. He retired to the garage with his out- raged suit case, and took one of the rooms on the second floor of that building which was pointed out to him by Brent, who was frankly amazed at seeing this young man among the servants. It reduced Miss Ray in his respect. Gilfillan didn’t wait to consider Brent’s feelings, however. Having deposited his suit case, he set forth at once to find Marion again. He wanted to speak with her. This he did not achieve immediately because the enemy had reached Marion first and was at that moment employed in verbal combat with her. They stood in the middle of the road at the foot of the drive while Gilfillan looked for the perfidious woman through the rich halls of Northover. X. Marion had seen the enemy employed mysteriously about the underbrush that fringed the roadside at the bottom of tke drive. She had not identified him imme- COPMICLOOO KS (E()