Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 68: what you’re looking at

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58 ARGOSY-ALLSTORY the night for him, and that was— Why, to be sure, perhaps it was from Jessica! He remembered now he had told her to look to him at any time of the day or night if she needed him. Why, perhaps she was in trouble. He hastened to the door and opened it. A chauffeur came out of the elevator and hurried to him. “Mr. Morley?” he asked respectfully. Val nodded. ‘‘ You have a message for me?” a “Ves, sir,” replied the “From Miss Pomeroy, sir.” A warm glow went through Val. needed him, and she was sending for him. That was good. “She wants you to come right away, sir —imy taxi is downstairs,” added the chauf- feur, . “Come in,” said Val, and he preceded the man into his apartment, peeling off his dressing robe as he did so. “What’s the matter with Miss Pome- roy?” he asked. The driver shook his head negatively. “Dunno, sir. I was cruisin’ around with- out no fare in me cab when J passed through her street. She called to me from the window, and I come up. Then she told chauffeur. -me to come to you and ask you to come at once. That’s all I know, sir. Said I was to say it was very important.” ‘All right—be right with you,” snapped Val, going for his coat. He slipped his automatic into his pocket for the second time that night. ‘Might need it,” he muttered. He decided not to wake Eddie. He was tired, and had done his share for that night. Probably he would not be necessary, any- way. Women get funny notions, and prob- ably Jessica didn’t need him so badly as_ she thought she did. But he felt exhila- rated just the same. He glowed all over with the thought, the feeling that she had instinctively turned to him when she need- ed assistance. “Tet’s go!” he snapped to the chauf- feur. A shabby taxi was waiting downstairs and the driver jumped for the wheel. She WEEKLY. ‘““Never mind the speed laws, young man,” directed Val. ‘Let ’er out.” “Yes, sir,” replied the driver, and the car, with a coughing of the exhaust, shot ahead. Through the darkened streets they fled across town, leaving belated wayfarers star- ing after them in astonishment. Corners meant no slackening of the speed. Within the car Val, for all his bulk, rattled round hike a pebble. ‘Give ’er the gas!”’ he shouted out to the driver. “Faster! Can’t you go faster?” The driver said nothing, but the maker of that car would have been glad to get a testimonial of the speed of which it was capable. It was not something for any automobile manufacturer to be ashamed of. Now that he had time to think of it, Val was beginning to be alarmed for the girl. Surely it must be something of vast im- portance that would cause her to send for him so late at night. She was in danger! Perhaps, even now, Whatever it was that was menacing her had overtaken her. Perhaps by now she was lying white and still—” ‘““ Speed ’er up!” he shouted to the driv- er, who grunted something unintelligible in reply. Val’s strained, white face gazed at the backward flying, slumberous streets; his soul was leaping far ahead of the car, straining to get to the side of his well-be- loved. The car swept around a corner into Jessica’s street, and with a grind of brakes slowed up in front of the house. » ‘“ Here y’ are, sir,” said the driver. Val banged the door open and leaped out. “Wait here!” he directed, and plunged for the dark vestibule. He turned to the bells to find the name~ of Pomeroy. It was so dark he could not make it out, and he leaned forward further. Suddenly a million constellations burst before his eyes. A mass of unthinking, un- conscious flesh, Val dropped, crumpled up, -in the vestibule of the house of Jessica Pomeroy. Above him a large figure, grinning malev- olently in the gloom, reared itself. TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK . comicbooOoks.c©