Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 16, 1921 — page 134: what you’re looking at

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

SOME and thinking. that the matter could be set- tled through the proper channels—in a busi- nesslike manner. Now, however, with her life in jeopardy, with Morrell’s blazing, lhate-inflamed eyes upon her, she realized that she must act. “Vou may have the money you think belongs to you,” she said. “ How do you figure to turn it over to mer” - : He was watching her narrowly, suspi- ciously. ‘“ Why,” she said hesitatingly; ‘‘ we'll go to see father. The transfer can be made right away.” a “‘ How long will it take?” “Only a few minutes. Father will give you a check for the amount.”’ She was about to say more concerning the legal points that would have to be ad- justed when Morrell astonished her by grin- ning at her in huge triumph. “So your dad ain’t in Europe after all!” he said. ‘‘ You could settle this thing in a few minutes; an’ your dad could give me a check—-eh? Then he’s in town, an’ livin’ mighty close. Bah!” he jeered. ‘“ You thought you’d fool me again, eh? Get me where the cops would nail me, eh? Pretend to agree an’ then double-cross me. You got another guess comin’.”’ He leaned over her; his breath in her face, and she got up, shrinking from the threat in his manner, backing away from him, realizing with dismay that he had tricked her. He followed her, grinning bestially, seem- ing to delight in the terror he aroused in her. “Your dad’s in town, eh? An’ right close—where you can reach him in a few minutes. Well, Seeley Gray wants him. An’ I want him. When I get the both of you together we'll settle this thing for good. An’ you’re tellin’ me where I can find him, or I’ll choke the life out of you!” She tried to evade him, stumbled on the rug, felt his big hands grip her shoulders; saw his repulsive eyes glow with a lust that she had never seen in any man’s eyes. For an instant she wildly thought of defy- ing him, but there was no mistaking the deadly earnestness of him. And when he MAN! 125 brought the other hand up, and slipped both to her throat, his sinewy fingers touching the flesh with what seemed to her to be a tentative pressure, promising instant brutal- ity, she gasped: “ Don’t, Morrell; I'll tell you!” “All right,” he grinned; ‘“ shoot!” She told him, and he regarded her fixed- ly, the muscles of the fingers at her throat stiffening. “Sayle?” he said. ‘“ By God! Yes— so he is!” He released her and backed away, exul- tant, grinning craftily; while she, now that the hideous menace of his presence was for the mstant removed, retreated to the wall near a pedestal, upon which stood a small marble statuette, determined, if he again approached her, to hit him with the ornament. For she knew now that what she had seen in his eyes was a lust to kill. ~ She watched him, rigid, breathing fast, her right hand resting on the statuette, while for an instant he grinned at her. Then he turned and walked to the door, unlocking it. “Sayle,” he said. “Til get him—an’ Hamlin. Then Ill come back here an’ take care of you!” He closed the door, locked it from the outside. It opened into a hall; she saw the walls, the stairs. Then she heard him fuss- ing about in the hall; heard a scraping noise as if bars being set into place. And then she heard his step on the stairs—a sound that gradually receded until it ceased. She dragged a chair below the window and examined the iron bars. By pressing her cheek against them she could look into the court into which the window opened. It was not more than two -feet wide, and seemed to consist of a solid brick wall. She could see no other windows in it, above or below. She got the bronze tongs from the fire- place and broke the glass of the window. And, standing on the chair, she screamed, hoping the sound would attract the atten- tion of some one—she did not care whom. It seemed to ‘her that her voice should be heard, for it resounded with force in the room and in the little court. But there came no response. At the end o. an hour she tried again, and the silence - GO DOOKS ANUC (©