Argosy All-Story Weekly, January 21, 1922 — page 139: what you’re looking at

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

THE GREEN STAIN. a different maybe. Say that man wanted to disappear and make it look like an abduc- tion. Wouldn’t he have done just what he did do? Leave the room looking as if he had gone off unwillingly or unconsciously? Leaving his watch behind was a clever touch—”’ ‘“‘Oh,*come now, Penny, I believe you are luny! Do you suspect Lawrence North of all the crimes? Did he abduct Betty, shoot her father, kill Martha? And then finally abduct himself? And, if so, why?” “ Zizi, youre a bright little girl, but you don’t know everything. Now you stay here and hold the fort while I go off for a few days and stalk North. I don’t say he did commit all that catalogue of crimes you string off so glibly, but I do say that he has to be accounted for, and I must know whether he is a criminal or a victim.” Wise went away and the little family at Headland House tried to possess their souls in patience against his return. Zizi devoted herself to the cheer and en- tertainment of Minna Varian, while Rod- ney Granniss found enough to do in look- ing after the accounts and financial mat- ters of the estate. Dr. Varian came up again, and was both surprised and pleased to find his brother’s wife in such a calm, rational state of mind. “Yet it is not a unique case,” he said. “T’ve known other instances of hysterical and even unbalanced minds becoming ra- tional and practical after a great shock or sorrow.” And the fearful blows Minna Varian had received from the hand of Fate did indeed seem to change her whole nature, and in- stead of a pettish, spoiled woman, she was now quiet, serious, and mentally capable. She kept herself buoyed up with a hope of Betty’s return. This hope Zizi fostered, and as the days went by it came to be a settled belief in Minna’s mind that sooner or later her child would be restored to her. — Nurse Fletcher did not approve of this state of things at all. © “You know that girl will never be found!” she would say to Zizi. ‘ You only pretend that you think she will, and it isn’t right to fill Mrs. Varian’s mind with fairy tales as you do!” . 129 ‘Now, nurse,” Zizi would wheedle her, “ you let me alone. I’m sure Mrs. Varian would collapse utterly if the hope of Betty’s return were taken away from her. You know she would! So don’t you dare say a word that will disturb her confidence! ”’ Dr. Varian agreed with Zizi’s ideas re- garding Minna, though he said frankly that he had grave doubts of ever seeing Betty again. “To my mind,” he said as he and Zizi had a little confidential chat, ‘“ nothing has been accomplished. Nearly a month has passed since Betty disappeared. ‘There is no theory compatible with a hope that she has been kept safely and comfortably all that time. The kidnapers, if there are any—” “Why doubt their existence?” “* Because I’m not at all sure that those ransom letters are genuine. Anybody could demand ransom.” *“* You’re not at all sure of anything, Dr. Varian,” Zizi said, “and strictly speaking, Mr. Wise isn’t either. But he is sure enough to go away and stay all this time. He’s been gone ten days now, and I know unless he was on a promising trail he would have abandoned it before this.” And Pennington Wise was on a promis- ing trail. It was proving a long, slow business, but he was making progress. His first start had been-from Lawrence North’s New York office. This he found closed and locked, and no one in atten- dance. Instead of being disturbed by this he re- garded it as a step forward. The owner of the building in which North had his office told the detective that Mr. North had gone away for the summer, that he had said his office would be closed until September, at least, and that there was nothing doing. — Wise persuaded him that there was a great deal doing, and in the name of justice and a‘few other important institutions he must hand over a key of that office. At last this was done, and Wise went eagerly about the examination of Lawrence North’s books and papers. The fact that he found nothing of im- comiclboooks C©