The Argosy, April 1916 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

bY A MYSTERY OF ROSCOE CONKLING PARK. 5 plained that Roscoe Conkling was at one time the most prominent citizen of Utica, and a Senator of the United States. “Let’s talk about something nearer to our sensibilities. What am I to do? You seem to be on intimate terms with the Ray- monds, so you can set me fright.” “Intimate terms with the Raymonds!”’ exclaimed Yale. “‘Why, I never saw one of the Raymonds | till about half an hour be- fore you came.’ “Bless us all! But Greenland—”’ “T’ll explain briefly. Matters concerning my grandfather’s death and a small inheri- tance several miles north of Utica brought me here, where I have not been in years. When Greenland and I were boys we sat together in the Utica Academy. Well, he ran into me a short time after I left the Empire State Express this afternoon, and insisted, with his usual wooden persistence, that I go to the Raymonds’ to stop over till after the wedding. I felt horribly out of place till you came.” “How did it make you feel any more comfortable to know some one else was in the same boat?” the girl inquired. “Well, you know, as soon as I set eyes on you I had something else to think of.” “How deliciously you say it. Well, to ’fess up in my turn, I have been spending the summer at a friend’s camp in the. Adirondacks, and am on my way home to New York. T might better leave out home and just say New York, for I am a home- less wanderer upon the ‘cold and still-cool-- ing crust of the earth. I got as far as Herkimer, on the Herkimer & Malone, and remembered that Nance lived in Utica. I had never met her people, but wanted to see Nance. I came from Herkimer on a local, expecting to spend the night with Nance, and go on to New York to-morrow.” “Tt would be jolly if we could arrange to go to New York together.” ‘“‘Some time.” ‘“Here’s the boulevard ahead,” announced Greenland. — “Sure it’s ahead? Thought we might have passed it with such distracted guides as you two,” chaffed Yale. “Oo—o—o!” called Miss Wayne. ‘“Who is the solid man on the stone pedestal ?”’ She pointed to a statue of heroic size on Genesee Street, facing a great, wide, beau- tiful boulevard running east and west. “That’s Baron Von Steuben,” answered Greenland. “Is he the man who gave the big park to the city?” “No, no; that was Thomas R. Proctor. He’s alive. Steuben has been dead I don’t know how long. He was in the American army in the Revolutionary War.” “Tf it wasn’t so late I’d wish I had my camera,” Miss Wayne told Yale. “I’d take a picture of the old Baron. I’m .what the Philistines call a camera fiend, Mr. Yale.” “And who are the Philistines?” “Prominent people who will not be snap- shotted.” “Well, you may snapshot me all you like.” “But I am not a millionaire. waste films.” In half an hour they had had all of the boulevard they wanted, and all four re- I can’t turned to the house and Mr. Raymond. This gentleman was very rich, very grim and stern, and more than very set in his purpose when roused, as will be seen. Dinner was soon ready, and they ate it in a room made suitable, so that the vast show of costly wedding presents on the real dining-room table might not be dis- _ turbed. Mrs. Raymond was a little woman, re- fined, and evidently well educated. ‘But she was almost a nonentity under the grim nie of the self-made man, her husband. Dinner passed off very pleasantly, how- ever, and Yale listened with much misgiv- ing to a number of duties to be performed by Mrs. Raymond, Nancy and the servants that evening. “We're in the way here,” he said to Beverly Wayne. “Let’s take a sneak and beat it down to the gay lights.” ‘Where, in Utica?” * “Well, let’s take a trolley ride and lap up some ice cream, or anything to get out of their way.” “T’d like to help,” said Miss Wayne. “But I’m such an outsider! Did you see Mr. Raymond eye me?” “T did. And me. I fancy he fi is a bit of a Cesar in his home, as well as in his business.” Yale and Miss Wayne started out soon after dinner, although the evening was then well advanced, and did not return till all the household except Sims, the butler, was asleep. He admitted them, and then went to bed himself. Yale was tired and dropped off almost the minute he touched the pillow. He had Co 1OOOLK C@