Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 136: what you’re looking at

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

Quickly he went on: “ One thousand five - hundred dollars, once—one thousand five hundred dollars twice—going—going—” As he raised his gavel the plainclothes man took a step nearer the nonchalant figure of the bearded man. — Bang went the gavel with the abrupiness of a pistol shot. I jumped as if it actually ‘were one, My nerves were that tightly strung at what I felt momentarily drew near. ‘The knife with the opal eye goes to the gentleman of taste by the hydrangea bush for one thousand five hundred dollars. Let him come forward and make good his bid.” The crowd parted curiously with eager, straining necks. . Slowly, with unhurried stride, the man came forward.- In the rustling movings of the crewd, I doubt if any one there, or even the oncoming bidder himself, sensed the _ close shadowing figure of the man in every- day garb. The two officers below the auctioneer stood rigidly attentive. In fact, everything ~ about me seemed strung for some extraor- -dinary climax. Nancy’s hand was in her bulging © right coat pocket. I noticed the same ominous movement on the Ee oi Stebbins and the officers. -_. Yet serenely unconscious of the stealthy preparations about Rim, the man came easily on. “Stand back,” roared one of the poiice- men in front of the auctioneer; “ don’t crowd forward so. Give the fellow a chance. He’s earned it.” _ .Goed naturedly, the crowd obeyed, now _that the excitement-of purchase was over. The tall, slight figure of the dark visaged man paused just before the steps. From an inner pocket he brought out a_billiold. His heavily bearded face bent over it as ‘his long, tenuous fingers began to open it. Nancy coughed slightly. At this further secret agreement the two officers at the steps closed in on the wholly - unconscious figure. The man in plain ~. clothes leaped forward. For a moment the = -. three guardians of the law blotted out from es! startled gaze what was. actually occur- = Bing there before our very eyes. throng to disperse. _ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. Then the lethargy of the mysterious man | He was like a tiger in the unleashed fury of his struggle. fell away like a cloak, — bins rushed into the fray. I actually ex- pected to hear a shot or some sign that physical harm had been done. But it took the four of them to cow the tigerish figure. At last the man with the beard stood with shackled hands, breathing heavily. He shrugged his shoulders as he finally recog- nized the futility of further contest before : the superiority of armed numbers about him. Bediam was let loose in the crowd. As _the pélice rudely half pushed, half dragged their captive into the house, the auctioneer, with the dagger no longer in view, bellowed out in his megaphone voice orders for the Stebbins stood beside him to enforce the orders. But it was a good half hour before the heavy gates of Voodoo Manor closed after the last ‘gesti- culating, protesting, leavetaker. the living room. I waited nervously. For what purpose had she arranged the fake auction? Why had she staged everything just to handcuff this man when his monotonous voice made the eleventh hour offer for the knife? Ob- viously it had been her cue to act. But why, wy? She had sent away a none too pleased crowd, much disgruntled by the false and pretended sale. The thing was beyond me, I worriedly hoped that Nancy hadn’t made a fearful blunder. Surely, if she had sought to trap Blanche Pembroke’s mysterious accomplice, she had failed. And Blanche Pembroke had con- fessed! ; So what earthly reason could Nancy have for taking in custody a man just because he was disguised, talked strangely, and had perhaps acted suspiciously in his several visits to the manor? One could not say Steb- and wholly unwilling, 3 Nancy hid the knife away securely while | the bearded man ‘was kept under guard in for a certainty that there was anything in-_ criminating about his curio quest at the pawnshop. _Then Stebbins, Nancy and I entered the = living room, == — = SS Se