Show I 1 III 1 1 1 1 I 1 1 1111 II 1 I 1 1111 III 1 1 I THE COMMON WI i BY Y ROBERT W. W CHAMBERS II II INSTALMENT 83 Helene le ene d' d dEnver had gone one ba back k 0 o the country countr and Ogilvy dared not pursue her he thither From Irom her fa fastness at she de defied de- de fled fie him h in letters but every letter of If hers seemed f lo to leave some loophole open for further argument and Ogilvy replied valiantly from rom a perfectly safe sate distance vowing that he meant to marr marry her some day in spite of t herself and threatening to to-go to go up and tell teU her so to her face until she became bored to death waiting g for him to fulfil this threat th-at at There Theres a a. perfectly good inn here she wrote for ot course under the cir clr you rou would scarcely have bave havethe havethe the to expect the hospitality of ot my own roof But K it f you are determined determined determined de de- de- de t 19 tt have hao a final No for your answer Iam lam entirety entirely ly competent to give it t te to you lU by word of mouth mouth Of Ard d pd such a distractingly lovely mouth sighed Ogilvy perusing the letter in his studio He whistled a slow waltz thoughtfully and as slowly and solemnly kept step to it turning round zid he round burled in deepest re re- re He Ho had a habit of doing this when profoundly perplexed Annan discovered him waltzing mournfully all an by himself up he Inquired cheerfully Its all up I I. I suppose With you and your our countess Y Yes s Harry Rot Why dont don't you go and talk to her Because it if I remain invisible she ml ht possibly for forget At my mv face I 1 stand I I I II II II I I I I I I I II II I I I I ii I I I I l I 7 a better letter chance chanc by letter Harry No NON youre you're not bad looking insist- insist of Annan kindly And besides a aman's amans amans aman's amans aman's mans man's face doesn't count with a a. girl Half Halt of em are neurotics anyway and the they adore the bizarre bizarre- Damn it snapped Sam do you mean mel that my countess resembles a afi fi lish gargoyle le It If you do say so o in English Eng Eng- No no no no said Annan soothingly soothingly- r o I vo seen more awful mugs mugs married married mugs too What woman has done woman may do dd again Buck Buek up Bea Beauty ty and the beast is no hO idle jest jest OJ Ill punch you good and plenty began be began began be- be gan Sam wrathfully but Annan fled weak with laughter Th Theres re's res no vainer alner man than an ugly one onel he called back and slam slammed ed the door to escape a flight o of paint brushes hurled by a a. maddened man Ill go By jinks Ill I'll go anyway he exclaimed and I dont don't care what she thinks of ot m my face only ony I 1 think I III Ill ll take Annan with just me-just just for tor com company com com- pany dummy pany or dummy bridge on the way up Harry he Shouted Annan cautiously appeared ready for tor rapid flight A Aw come on in M My face tace suits me Besides thank Heaven Ive I've got a reputation reputation tation back of it but yours your's breaks the tM speed d l laws ws Will you go up there with me me like like a a man Where 1 To I When inquired Annan skeptical skeptical- ly Now b Now jinks Have you sufficient nerve this tI time Watch m me And he dr dragged out a suitcase se and began wildly throwing articles articles' of ot to toilet tel toi 1 let and apparel el Into it it Come on Harry he shouted hurling hurling hurl hurl- ing lag a pair pall of tennis shoes shoes' at the suitcase suitcase suit suit- case Ive got to fo go while Im I'm excited OJ or Ill I'll never budge I But when ten minutes later Annan a arrived suitcase in hand ready for the journey he could scarcely contrive to kick and drag Sam into the elevator and later into a si taxicab Ogilvy sat there alternately shivering and attempting to Invent imperative engagements in t town wn which he had just remembered but Annan said angrily No you dont This makes the these seventh sew sev time Ive I've started with you for and Im I'm going to put it through or perish in ina a hand to conflict with you And he started for the train dragging dragging dragging drag drag- ging Sam with him talking angrily all an anthe the time He talked all way the to too partly to reassure and give hl him no time for tor terrified partly because he liked to talk And when they arrived at the Arms Anns lie he shoved into a room locked the thedoor thedoor door and went away to telephone to the Countess dEnver Yes she inquired sweetly who is Jt t 1 Me replied Annan regardless of an unpopular grammatical convention Im here with Ogilvy May we come cometo to tea Is Mr Ogilvy here Yes Tes here at the Arms May MayI I may I-er-may er may he bring me over to call callon callon callon on you 1 JOy Y Y s Oh with pleasure Mr Annan Annan An An- nan When may I expect hi hi- hi you In about ten minutes replied Annan Annan An An- nan firmly Then he went back and looked into Ogilvy's room Sam was seated hi his i head clasped in his hands i I thought you might tear up your sheets and let yourself out of ot the window window win win- dow said Annan sarcastically Y Youre ure urea a fine sp specimen Why youre you're actually lant jawed lantern jawed n-jawed with fright But ut I dont don't care Come on were we're expected to tea Get into your white flannels and pretty blue coat coal and put on your winkey rah-rah rah and follow me Or by heaven heaven Ill Ill I'll do murder right now knees wavered as they en entered entered entered en- en the gateway Go on hissed ed Annan giving hint hind hinda hima a violent shove Then to Ogilvy came that desperate and hysterical courage that comes to those whose t terrors have at last In Infuriated Infuriated infuriated in- in II them By Jinks he said with an unearthly unearth unearth- ly Jy smile I will wilt come on I And he did straight through the door and Into the pretty living room where Helene dEnver rose in Jn some slight alight consternation con con- to receive this astonishingly pale and rather faced desperate young man Harry said Ogilvy calmly retainIng retaining retaining retain retain- ing Helenes Helene's hand you go and play ar around und the yard for a a. few moments I have something to tell the Countess dEnver and then well we'll all have tea I Mr she said amazed But Annan had already ady vanished and she he l looked into a pair pall of ot steady eyes eru that suddenly made her quail Helene he said I really realty do love lo you To be concluded |