Argosy All-Story Weekly, June 13, 1925 — page 41: what you’re looking at

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

“ He's daft as a dormouse, surely,’ de- cided Andrew Bennett thoughtfully, and then he added with curt cruelty: ‘ Shell- shocked, wasn’t he?” The girl winced. She had seen shell- shocked service men, but she said slowly and without resentment: ‘No, not shell-shocked. Bill never talks about the war, but General O’Brien told me once that when Bill came back he was so full of steel that if he’d tried to go swim- ming he’d either have sunk or rusted to death. The doctors got all that out of him, though, and the general said they must have converted it into medals, the way Bill’s name kept coming through for deco- rations,” “Oh, ahem—yes, yes,” said Mr. Bennett awkwardly. ‘‘ He was some sort of officer, I recall.” ‘He was not!” retorted Florence indig- nantly. ‘‘ He was a buck private.” Mr. Bennett rose, rather at a loss for a reply. They dined in friendly family man- ner, and Mr. Hastings’s name was not once mentioned. But Mr. Bennett gave him se- rious thought that night, and when Bill sauntered into the agency next day at pre- cisely the same hour he was informed that the president was too busy tc see any one. Bill smiled gently at the clerk: ‘‘ Just say that Mr. Hastings has called for the answer; not an answer—the an- swer, please.” The clerk stared and retreated to deliver the message. He returned quickly. “Mr. Bennett says the answer is ‘ No,’ as he told you yesterday, and that he can- not discuss the matter with you further.” Thank you,” said Bill. “ I’ be going. Piease tell him, though, that he hasn’t given me the right answer yet, so he may study the problem further. Tell him that Vl try to convince him, even if he doesn’t want to be convinced, and when he has the right answer he must tell me, for I’ll be too busy to call on him again.” He bowed and sauntered out, apparently unconcerned. Mr. Bennett listened to the message repeated by the clerk, then gave the problem more thought, The young sim- pleton was persistent, and the case called for action. Mr. Bennett telegraphed to 3 A ANSWER iS YES! 513 an aunt of Florence in Stockbridge imme- ciiately. At breakfast, next morning, the girl re- ceived a telegram from Aunt Katherine, urging her to come up at once for the skating and skiing. There was not much finesse about the device, but finesse was not Mr. Bennett’s forte. He was busily ex- cavating a half grapefruit as Florence read the dispatch to him accusingly. ‘Fine of Katherine to ask you,” he coinmented, sinking the spoon into another section of pulp, and halt closing his eves, which was natural enough, perhaps, and which enabled him to avoid the embarrass- ing glance of his daughter. ‘‘ Of course, you'll go. Air will do you good and you need a bit of exercise.” ‘Yes, I guess Ill go. It’s odd, though. When I saw Bill last night he suggested that I should run out of town until you-—”’. ‘Eh? Oh! Of course you need not stay that long. Why do you bother with that impossible chap? I should think he’d know enough to understand plain English and take himself elsewhere. When do you leave?” ‘‘[’m taking the three twenty express,” said the girl abruptly, “since every one seems so anxious. It is odd, though, and not hke Bill—” “Why, it’s just like the cub,” returned her fatber. “ He called yesterday on me and I gave him the same answer, and he went his way. He saw you last night for the very purpose of urging you to leave town. He hasn’t the courage to face his defeat. By the time you return any talk that might rise will have been forgotten. He will have saved his face.” ‘Perhaps so,” nodded Florence. ‘‘ Well, I’m going, anyway, There’s a mystery about this sudden invitation from Aunt Katherine and perhaps I’! find it out from her.” Mr. Bennett shook his head indulgently. Mystery? Ha! Feminine intuition always inclined to the mysterious, in the face of facts as simple as two plus two. He ar- ranged his daughter’s departure, kissed her affectionately, and betook himself to the office, where more important matters than youthful folly demanded his attention. (C(O) nn) (C 6)(0)©) S (C(O)