The Argosy, Vol. 90 No. 1 — page 75: what you’re looking at

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

LITTLE BOSS ‘“ How did you andgyour friend discover that I was out there on the porch?” ‘My friend? You—you— I don’t un- derstand yet!” She gained poise somewhat. Jealously, Moore recalled the muscular perfection and prowess of the man who had fought with him. She was getting her wits together to defend him. “There was something in that desk that you wanted him to have. Don’t you think you should have let your father give it to him instead of sneaking it out?” he asked with quiet scorn. “TI don’t want him—I don’t want any one to have it!” she exclaimed nervously. Suddenly she collapsed into a miserable heap in the chair that had been shoved from in front of the desk. She began to cry. Moore was moved in several ways. began to get excited. her. He was jealous of the unknown man. But above everything, he felt a clamorous desire to sweep her sob-shaken body into his arms. He went toward her. Almost before he knew it, he had lifted her sweet weight close against him. His blood sang ecstatically. “ There’s been nothing but trouble since you came!” The words spat at him. He had dropped his waning torch. The fierce tattob of her fists fell hard on his breast as they stood in the dark. “Look here,’ he exclaimed tensely, catching her hands and holding them despite her struggles. “I let one trespasser go just now. I’ll be hanged if another escapes me!” The announcement appeared to-quell her for an instant. The darkness had silence added to it, closing densely about them. “Vou don’t mean to keep—to hold me-—” she began, her body stiff and re- sistant. “T have no handcuffs or straight-jackets handy. You know who that man was. I find you here beside a rifled desk. If any- thing’s stolen, you must answer for it!”’ _ “Oh! I hope it isn’t!” she breathed fear- fully. “That remains to be seen.” He He was angry with -reply. OF BIG BEN. 69 ‘Let me look!” she suggested quickly. ‘“ Please.”’ Her voice was honest, earnest, coaxing. The softness of her body thrilled him. But he released her. ‘Will you light the lamp?” she asked. He caught hold of her arm. He spoke sternly. - ‘You’re not going to impose on my con- fidence and run away?” “Oh, no, I give you my word. I’m more concerned about this than you can possibly be. Moore stumbled about till he located a table where matches were always kept. He lighted his way to the hanging-lamp in the middle of the room. The vigorous flame burned up, illuminating the space that had been crowded with darkness. He turned at once toward the desk. Fan had taken instant advantage of the light. She was trying to turn a key in a lock. It refused to budge. ‘““T can’t make it turn!” Her voice was high with fright and ex- citement. Moore hurried to her. She sub- mitted when he pushed her fingers aside and tried his luck and strength on the obdurate lock. But it did not yield. “You must be interested in—in what you expect to find here,” he said, eying her perturbation sharply. “You act as if I hadn’t a right here!” she said resentfully. ‘Tf you had the freedom of your father’s desk, you wouldn’t be trying to get what you want in the dark. I suspect that you are trying to serve some one with whom your father is at outs. You are trying to get hold of something to which neither you nor that man has a right.” She looked rather confused and made no Her eyes turned wistfully to the little drawer. ‘“A drop of oil might help,’’ he sug- gested, seeing that his reproaches had not lessened her desire for the contents of the drawer. She darted to the door of her own room. He started up, suspecting that she was going to escape and communicate with the man. But she did not close the door. A mo- oO Comicbooe S CO