Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 92: what you’re looking at

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

82 Dixon. High-spirited, she doubtless felt at this moment greater anger than ever to- ward her husband. And still, if they had had a proper two minutes, and Betty had gone on home, Curlew would probably have slain his alleged partner for violating orders and allowing the girl to escape and—and —James leaned against the side of the rock- ing taxicab and groaned silently. Yet a current of profound gratitude-ran beneath all the rest of the turmoil in his brain. Whatever else happened, Betty was still safe and still in sight, where upon ex- treme occasion her husband could protect her. And that occasion, by the way, seemed perilously near just now! Let Dixon lean a little bit closer to James’s wife, let him mumble just a little bit more ardently and Curlew’s whole proposition was going to blow into ten million small pieces and in a certain taxicab— Dixon looked up just then, somewhat disappointedly. “Oh! That’s why we stopped, is it?” he muttered. ‘“ We’re back again!” CHAPTER XiIi. LOOKING TOWARD SLEEP. AMES, collecting himself quite hurried- J ly, stepped out and waited to assist lit- tle Betty. Mr. Dixon, one foot on the step, paused and looked fixedly at James. “Excuse me! You’re in the way!” he said bluntyl. “7 was merely—” “YT can help Miss Banford out, if that’s what you’re waiting for. You pay the man!” Mr. Dixon responded very briefly, and reached for the grips, and then, ever so tenderly, reached for Betty. He had escorted her to the door, too, before James received his change; ah, yes, and into the house as James followed rather nimbly. Now, with Miss Banford demure- ly at one side, he was shaking Henry Cur- lew’s hand rather unenthusiastically. “Ves he caught us, all right,” he said, as James entered and Gorely closed the door behind him. “Not quite sure I’m glad he did, but—he did, anyway. Well, ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. there’s nothing to do now but wait for Pemmerly, eh? I think—oh, hold on there, you! J’ll take up those bags!” “I—I’m sure, sir—’’ the butler began. “PU take ’em—both of them!” the visi- tor said, firmly, and then he grinned down suddenly at the alleged Miss Banford. ‘I suppose you have to run up and get all fussed and primped and powdered again, eh? All right. Come along, honey!” Nor did he even glance again at his host or at the partner of his host; Mr. Dixon, taking Betty’s slim arm in his helpful hand, steered her upward, laughing gayly, mutter- ing merrily to her. Henry Curlew gazed after them, and chuckled deeply, as did James, although without chuckling at all. “We'll wait for him in the library, I guess,” Henry said suddenly as he noted James’s gaze. He led the way slowly, wearily. He pushed the door after them and tottered, rather than walked, to a chair; and he set- tled down with an exhausted: ‘Is he—is he just as crazy about her as ever?” “’Crazier!”’ said James. “Lovely!” breathed. the elder man. ‘Sure about that?” * Quite,” James said, even more shortly. *“Couldn’t be better. Beats the devil, doesn’t it, Jim? Hundred and _ twenty pounds of pretty kid like that one ‘ll hold a man down firm as a ton of steel chain! Wonderful, eh?” ee Yes.”’ * But you’re not inclined to get up and cheer over it, huh?” Henry muttered, dis- gustedly, and with weariness ever more ap- parent. “Pah! Once we’re through with this loon, you can get a divorce and marry her if you like, but—Jim!” “What?” ; **T can’t get in touch with that ass of a Pemmerly to save my soul! I’ve called up every hotel in Washington and he’s not registered at one of them. He must be with friends—he’s got several dozen of ’em down there, he told me—and he may not feel moved to report again until—heigh ho! Heigh ho! Good Lord, I’m tired! Aren’t you tired?” “* Not particularly.” Commicoools CO