Argosy All-Story Weekly, July 1, 1922 — page 71: what you’re looking at

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

THE FUR CLOAK. utmost caution. So the doctor produced a smile that was almost oily. ‘‘ You’re a very unusual girl —a most extraordinary girl!” he stated, gently. “You astonish me so that I hardly know what to say, save to assure you, on my very solemn word of honor, that I have had absolutely no part in this outrage!” “You don’t look a bit like a humorist, but that zs funny!” ‘ Well — er — you mean that you don’t believe it?” CL I do! > B] “ But it’s the gospel truth, I assure you!” Dr. Warner said, with gathering warmth. ‘I’m an extremely conventional person; I wouldn’t consider taking part in a thing of this character for any consideration on earth! At this moment I’m positively un- able to credit my own eyes and believe that it kas happened—but it has, of course, and while I’ve an inkling of the matfer I’m positively not at liberty to say one word about it. Extraordinary statement for me to make, perhaps, but quite true. It so happened that you were mistaken for an- other person and—that’s how it all came about, of course.” “Miss Ramsey, you mean?” “Lord! You know that, do you? Well —that’s natural enough, I suppose. But as to my part of it, which is really all that concerns us just now, I’m going to make an astounding request: I’m going to ask you to forgive and forget!” said the doctor, and failed to meet Myra’s eyes. That young woman caught her breath. “Well, you’re clumsy but courageous, aren’t your” she mused. “I’m just to step out of the house here and erase from my memory the trifle of having been kid- naped?”’ “It’s an insane thing to ask, but you’re big enough to do that!” the remarkable doctor said fervently, and plainly in the belief that he was on the way ta making his point. ‘ And I’m by no means asking you to step out of the house or—er—any- thing of that sort. You live at the Al- dean?”’ “ Well?” ‘Pll dress as quickly as possible, get out my car and drive you home at once, to be ‘that hour. 861 sure,” the optimistic doctor raced on. ‘“‘ And you may be quite certain, Miss Car- son, that you will not suffer by arriving at It is past two now, but I can have you there by four o’clock, and I'll ex- plain to the night manager that—I’m not quite sure at the moment just what I shall say, but it will be convincing to the last degree!” Ten silent seconds, he waited tremulous- ly. Miss Carson sighed and settled back comfortably, and this the good doctor must have misinterpreted, for he brightened amazingly and started toward the door. ‘* Doctor!” Myra said. ce Yes?”’ “You wouldn’t go to all the bother of dressing if you were not going to leave the house on my account, would your” “IT beg pardon?”’ ‘““ Because I wish that you’d sit down here for a minute or two, without fussing like that. It’s barely possible you're not going out at all, you know. That chair there, please!” “IT don’t—quite understand?” “You will, though,’ said Miss Carson, as the scientist settled uncomfortably on the edge of the chair before her. She her- self, wrists and ankles having ceased to pain, and pretty mouth having returned to normal size, leaned forward and studied him interestedly. “Doctor, it would be perfectly lovely of me to let you drive me back and shake your hand and then say how glad I was to have met you and then forget all about it, would it not?” The doctor’s eyes opened alarmedly. “Tt is the sort of act you might—”’ “do if I happened to be a congenital idiot, only I’m not a congenital idiot!” Myra finished for him. ‘“ This little plot that you and Mr. Westford cooked up over your dinner seems to have slipped.” “IT say!” breathed the doctor. Mr. Westford—”’ Myra waved an impatient hand. “I’m not asking details. I’m not even commenting,” she snapped. “I’m trying to point out that, in slipping, it collided with a most unfortunate person—me/ I don’t know what sort of fool you’re used ce Er— DOOK C©