Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 105: what you’re looking at

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

A BOOB THERE WAS. hand in a firm grip. “T’ll just say so- long, Bob, old man, and wish you luck on your— Or, hold on a minute!” he inter- rupted himself, as if struck by a sudden idea. ‘“‘ We can at least look after your business interests, Bob, and see that they don’t suffer in any way while you are ab- sorbed in this search. Let’s see; you didn’t put your name to that paper you drew up, did you? Well, sign it now, and then we'll be in shape to go ahead. And I can prom- ise you that we’ll put a full head of steam on.” As he spoke he had whipped the un- signed paper out of one pocket and his fountain pen from another, and had thrust them into Bob’s hands, with a pocketbook underneath to serve as a desk. J. P. was an expert in the art of closing a deal. The way he could produce a foun- tain pen at just the proper psychological moment, and give the mental push required to get a hesitating victim’s signature down on the dotted line, savored almost of magic. And poor Bob was not one to withstand his seductive wiles. With his head in a whirl over that amazing disclosure of Nor- thrup’s in regard to Faith—that he, Bob Moore, was the man she really cared for— nothing else seemed to matter except his task of finding and rescuing her. He was in no condition to question or debate J. P.’s urgency to have him sign the paper. Disarmed by those specious protestations of friendship, and feeling somehow that he was being rendered a favor instead of doing one, he took the pen and started to write his name. Once a kingdom was lost for the want of a horseshoe nail. With all his ingenious approach and his hurrah finish, J. P. had overlooked one very important detail. There was no ink in the fountain pen; it simply wouldn’t write. “Wait just a second. I'll get a pen from one of these deputies or somebody in the crowd,” pleaded J. P. desperately. But as he turned to hurry away, the iri- descent silver glow which had been growing stronger in the east spread itself in a sheet of light across the earth, and the rim of a big, yellow disk rose above the horizon. The moon was up. 731 “ Can’t wait now, J. P.,” Bob called over his shoulder as he started for his machine. “T’ll see you when I get back.” A rod or two away from his plane he encountered Northrup, who had also been interrupted. “ How about you, Bob?” hailed the lieu- tenant. “Got your inspection all fin- ished?” “ Not quite. visitor.” “Me, too. The colonel had got down into the dumps again, and needed to be bucked up. I didn’t realize how time was passing while I was talking to him; but I’m not going to waste any more of it now. I’m taking off. My plane’s all right. At least, it was when we landed this afternoon, and the farmer’s had it right under his eye ever since.” But in this last statement Northrup was mistaken. There was a period of about ten minutes when the farmer had gone off to his house to put away a bottle of hooch which Mr. Pedro Ponce had presented with his compliments. Bob hesitated a moment. It was against ali his training and invariable custom to ascend in an airplane which he had not gone over thoroughly in search of flaws or defects. And yet it seemed a superfluous precaution in the present instance. He and Northrup had made sure of every bolt and stay and rivet before they went over to the station for lunch. Example, too, is a powerful argument. If Cale Northrup, who had been reckoned in the service an extra careful aviator, was willing to take a chance, why shouldn’t he? “ Well, I guess you’re right,” he yielded. “It sure does seem foolish to delay for a mere finicky formality when every moment counts. Let’s go.” And without further debate the two hur- ried to their respective planes and climbed aboard. Two minutes later both of them were in the air and circling above the field. It had been agreed between them, since there was no clew to the direction which the abductors had taken, that Northrup should cover the mountain country as his territory, while Bob should investigate the desert. { was called away by a ONOOLK (C@ (C@