Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 79: what you’re looking at

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

GENTLEMAN ROGER’S could not rid himself of the feeling that there was a particular reason, likely a sinis- ter reason, for Roger’s strange outburst of rage. “We've got to get on,’ Hal said in em- barrassed fashion. ‘“ Celesta brought you a complete outfit in this satchel. Celesta and I will leave you to dress. Sorry I can’t let you have a light. It would be danger- ous while the car’s standing.” Hal and Celesta climbed the stony track a few paces further, and stood in silence. The moonlight made a curious checkered pattern, gray and black, of the splintered stones in the road, and brought out a tinge of green in the black of the trees. The moon was behind Celesta’s head, dusting the edges of her hair with pale gold. By contrast the twin pools of her eyes were as deep and dark as holes in the night sky between the stars. Of what she was think- ing Hal could not guess. For himself, a wave of tenderness simply inundated his breast. “Celesta, I would die to make you happy,” he murmured. — It never reached her. She was already speaking before he was through: “T ought to be back there helping him in the dark. Do you suppose he will catch cold, changing in the open air?” Hai sighed. “I don’t think so,” he said. They heard Roger’s irritable voice. “Good God! what sort of clothes are these! You didn’t bring me any socks.” They were on the road again. Nothing had passed in the high road while they lay concealed. They now rode squeezed three abreast in the runabout. Celesta in the middle. They had explained the circum- stances of his rescue to Roger and now they rode in silence. There was really nothing to say. The light from the cowl lamp re- vealed two deep perpendicular furrows in Roger’s forehead. He continually stroked his mustache. Celesta nursed his free hand between both of hers. A stern chase is a long one, but Hal was well aware of the disastrous possibilities of even the briefest of stops. On every bend of the road which permitted it, he glanced anxiously back the way they had come. He pushed the car as fast as he dared over the 5 A GIRL, 705 rough and unfamiliar road. Celesta caught her breath at some of the turns they made. Rogers protested against being flung up against the top. They were roaring up an incline with wide open exhaust when suddenly there was a sharp report from under the engine hood, and the roaring was silenced. Hal worked his throttle lever up and down in vain. They ran on up to the top of the hill under their acquired momentum, and _ stopped. Hal ground on his emergency brake, and jumped out without a word. He was not one of the noisy sort. “What has happened?” gasped Calbia: “Something in the ignition,” he said. “Tell you in a minute,” “Tt only needed this!” murmured Roger with concentrated bitterness. “Mr. Manion, will you keep watch down the road?” said Hal. “ We're on a sort of point here. You can see a long way down the valley. Celesta, you hold the trouble light for me.” With swift, precise movements he set to work to test generator, distributor, switches, fuses, spark plugs, etc. It was comforting to watch so sure a workman. But for the same reason, the final way in which he raised up from his work and let his arms drop, was more destructive to the hopes of his watchers than a torrent of profanity would have been. “Coils burned out,” he said. ““ Can’t you fix it?” gasped Celesta. He shook his head, and started wiping his hands on a piece of waste. “ Coil’s a thing you can’t fix. When it goes it’s gone.” “TIsn’t there anything you can do?” Another shake. ‘ She’s dead as a rotten log until I can put a new coil into her.” “What shall we do?” “Walk.” The single syllable quivered with bitterness. “ And leave the car here like a sign-post to point the way we’ve taken?” queried Roger sarcastically. Hal looked down at the river. He was silent for a moment. “Going to shove her over,” he muttered finally. * Oh, Hal! No! No!” cried Celesta. “Your car means so much to you! You worked so hard on it! I can’t let you!” COMMicooOoks (€@)