Adventure Magazine Cover — page 128: what you’re looking at

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

118 lugs loosened, and the door safe swung open with a noiseless, ponderous movement. Javotte sobbed, but she was not crying. She was almost choked. The inner compartments were not locked. Holder had never expected them to be reached. Professionally they would not have detained Middleton very long, for he knew more about safes than the men that made them. Holder said heavily, with a touch of impatience: “Get through. Get through.” Rarely was ever a safe plundered under more conflicting circumstances. The owner directed the looting, and had no selfish motive in getting himself robbed. Mid- dleton felt almost reluctant to dip into the loot. “That drawer—un—left—top—most you want is there,’’ Holder directed with slow dropping of words, no different in tone or manner from that of showing a stenographer where to find papers of no particular im- portance. Middleton withdrew the drawer. His hand stirred among the boxes there and at a glance he knew a fortune in jewelry was before him. Holder, with the fond weakness that even philosophers have, had most lavish- ly gathered ornaments for the woman he loved. But if he had bought them like a lover he could lose them like a philosopher. ‘“‘More—more in drawer above. Rings, or something. I forget. Un-n—oh, get through.” Middleton reached out and placed the withdrawn drawer on the table and turned again to the safe. “Go through it—satisfy yourself. ’N’ get out. Some bonds down there. Take ?em if you want. Un-n—registered though. Be careful. Get caught sellin’ ’°em. Un-n. Take ’em if you want. You see, Middleton, I’m squaring my debt. Un-n. That stuff on Cabron was a big help.” Middleton jerked his face to stare directly into the big, impassive countenance. This was almost too much. ~ And as he looked hard at him, Middle- ton sensed something of the power that was in the man. He was subtle and strong too; under that fleshly mask was an altogether different sort of person from what the world suspected—the person Javotte had discovered and really loved. Middleton lived by a cruel and remorse- Adventure less code. He, like Drount, like Silkeen, like all crooks, had a couple of spots of honor that he lived by; but he had no tenderness toward victims. Every criminal feels something very much like contempt for the victim; it is as if the very inability to keep from being victimized made the person unworthy of sympathy. Savages in warfare put captives to death with much the same feeling. But Holder was impassive as an honest man paying a debt; which indeed he seemed to feel that he was doing. Abruptly something attracted Middle- ton’s attention. He looked around quickly. The portiéres were stirring. Burillo was gone. Also the drawer of jewels. of his running feet could be heard on the stairs. Holder chuckled heavily. His thick, heavy lips moved a little toward a smile as he watched Middleton. Javotte put her hands to her throat as if holding back a groan. Said Holder: . little honor—’mong thieves. Unh? That’s what I tell my brokers. Sorry for you, Middleton. Un-nh.” Middleton made a slight gesture of in- difference and answered quietly: “True, very true. After this I want references from my fellow burglars. You’ll pardon me; I must go after that fellow. These—this safe—some other evening. Thank you for your—ah—courtesy.”’ He spoke with unhurried, quiet irony, and bowed himself from the room. The strain was over. Javotte crumpled and hung limply, almost unconscious.in the big arms of the unlovely, tender man. “Little girl, it’s all right. Don’t—plenty more. I hurried back. Got word—vague— may not be anything to it—got word Cabron will escape. Detective wired. Why—oh Javotte had fainted. Down the street, a half-block away, in the shadows a man lay groaning. Though he had fled, run, a noiseless, panther-like bound had put a lean shape before him; and the chilling words, ‘‘Han’s up!” gave him such a start that he jumped, partly from terror and largely because he was hugging the wealth of a prince against his breast. It is dangerous, almost deadly, to make sudden, unexpected moves before the face of a highwayman, or at least of one that DOOK The pad. (©