The Argosy, Christmas 1912 — page 222: what you’re looking at

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

208 Then, as he bowed, she came quick- ly forward, and clasped him by the hand. “IT don’t know how I can ever thank you, Mr. Ramsdell, for—” “Don’t try,” he interrupted. “In fact, ’'d much rather you wouldn’t; for to tell the truth, I have gained this i1n- terview with you under somewhat false pretenses.” She stiffened perceptibly. mean that you are not—” “No, no!’’ He waved his hand as if to dispel her doubts. ‘“ I am the man who was fortunately able to be of some assistance in your predicament.” “ Of course you are,” she hastened to interpose. ‘‘ Forgive me if I wavered for a moment in my recognition; but there was so much confusion last night, and so many people crowding about, that surely I am not to be blamed. Be- sides, you must admit that you spoke rather peculiarly just now. What did you mean by saying that you were here under false pretenses, Mr. Ramsdell?”’ “Well, you would naturally regard this as a social visit, wouldn’t you—a friendly call to inquire after your health and exchange the usual amenities over our recent experience? It doesn’t hap- pen, however, to be anything of the kind. I am here as an emissary of the police.”’ “ An emissary of the police!” Un- less he was greatly mistaken a quick light of apprehension flashed into the girl’s eye, and she had to bite her lips to restrain a sudden gasp of dismay. “Yes,” he said; “I am working on the Poe Bible case.”’ Her relief was apparent. “Oh!” she murmured. “ That? Why, I have already told the detectives all I know, Mr. —, but if it will help you in any way I shall be glad to go over the points again.’ “Thank you,” he rejoined. “ That is just exactly what I do want. It is always more satisfactory to get one’s evidence at first hand.” Accordingly, she obligingly _ re- hearsed for his benefit the details he had “Vou THE ARGOSY, already gathered from Brady relative to her employment by old Poe, together with such knowledge as she possessed concerning the purchase of the Wick- liffe Bible, and its subsequent disappear- ance. “Now, let’s get this absolutely straight,” he said, when she had fin- ished. “ You say, that on the night of the theft, you remained at the library with Mr. Poe until he closed up the place and took his departure?” ‘Yes; he asked me to stay and finish up the cataloguing of a new lot of books which had just come in.” ‘You are sure that he put the Bible in the safe before he left? ”’ “ Absolutely so; and also that he se- curely locked the safe. In fact, I] am ready at any time to make oath regard- ing those two things.” “Then you went out of the library together, eh, and he locked the door behind you? ” Again she nodded acquiescence. “ And that is all you know, except that when you arrived the next morn- ing you found the old man beside the open safe, bemoaning his loss of the Bible? ” ‘That is positively all, Mr. Rams- dell. I am sorry, for your sake, that it is not more—that is, if you hope to gain anything by the clearing up of this mystery.” “Oh, spare yourself any regrets on my account,” he smiled; “I have got all that I expected.” “Then you areé satisfied with the little I was able to tell you about the affair?” “Oh, no.” “Far from it.” She looked at him in puzzled fashion, as though not quite certain how to take his strange remark. “How could you expect me to be satisfied ’»—he paused—“ when I am received as a perfect stranger by my own cousin, Sylvia Felix, of Tenally- town?” She reeled back and caught at the arm of a chair for support, her cheek He shook his _ head. oO COMmMiclhoo S CO