Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 106: what you’re looking at

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736 to Phil’s ears and heedless of the anguish it caused him he flung himself flat and started roiling violently toward it. Two masculine figures loomed into view, with a smaller laden one in tow. All three halted for a moment in stupefaction, then rushed down upon him. ‘““What’s up? Some tramp having a fit?” the young voice queried. ‘“‘ Don’t touch him! Let the caddie run back—” “No! Stay here, boy! Can’t you see, Norcross, that the fellow’s bound and gagged? Here, my man, just a minute and we'll have you loose—”’ The older, drawling tones trailed off into silence and it was as well for the speaker as for Phil himself that the latter was eagged, for the face bending over him was that of Lucian Baynes! The jewel expert of the Shadowers recog- nized him at the same moment and before the strange young man in foppishly correct golf attire and the staring caddie an instan- taneous message flashed from eye to eye of the two colleagues. The wire was untwisted from his wrists and the gag snatched from his mouth. Phil sat up weakly, trying to force a grin of re- assurance to his distorted lips, but bright spots danced before his eyes and the blood surging suddenly through his arms brought sharp stabs of agony. Then a vacuum flask was presented to his mouth and ice cold coffee trickled in a delicious stream down his parched throat. In a moment speech came. “ Thanks—awfully—friends of mine—” It was a mere croaking whisper with un- expected rasps in it, but he managed to convey to Lucian Baynes that he under- stood and there was to be no recognition. “Practical joke carried too far, that’s all.” Lucian was at work upon his ankles now, but the young man stood superciliously by and the caddie still stared open mouthed. “You mean you don’t want the police notified?” the young man asked incredu- lously. ‘‘ This looks rather odd to me, Bal- lantyne; we’d better not have anything to do with it. He doesn’t appear to need any further assistance, and the sooner he’s off the grounds the better.” Phil had risen weakly and now he stood ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. rubbing his wrists and wondering how he could manage a word in private with Lucian Baynes. The name “ Ballantyne ” had il- luminated the situation for him as far as his colleague was concerned; Lucian, under the guise he formerly assumed to the prosperous traveling public was evidently doing society for further data on their client and he had called the young snob with him “ Norcross.” He must be the Chester Norcross whom Richard Monckton had publicly thrashed, the brother of the girl to whom he had been engaged, and a good job, too, Phil con- cluded, glowering at him. But how was he to get Lucian aside? The jewel expert solved that problem for him. ‘ Your friends probably took your money from you, too, didn’t they?” he asked, and at Phil’s nod he added: ‘‘ Here, Ill stake you to your ticket back to New York if that’s where you want to go, and show you the way to the station. Come along!”’ Heedless of young Norcross’s further ex- postulations he led the way to the opening in the hedge and pointed down the road, at the same time taking out his wallet. ‘Go to the office as quick as you can!” he exclaimed in a hurried undertone. ‘‘ No time for explanations now, but something’s wrong there and FEthel’s gone again! She has left the Shadowers!” CHAPTER XVIII. DESERTION UNDER FIRE. THEL JEPSON had spent the fore- noon of Saturday in unaccustomed solitude for not a single member of the firm put in an appearance and there was no messages. She was in a fever of impatience and suspense. When at last Cliff Nichols phoned she begged anxiously for news. “Tell you later; nothing very much, but we're on the right track.” The buoyant note in his voice was unmistakable, however. ‘You know what I tried to get out of our client yesterday; I want you to go down and see him yourself this afternoon. Do you mind? It isn’t a very pleasant place.” “Mind?” Ethel caught him up. “I’m dying to go, Mr. Nichols! Will they let me in, though?” 6A EOMIGdoOO KS) (S@