Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 7, 1925 — page 143: what you’re looking at

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

THE UNDER DOGS. The little whispering group in eur corner became quieter and quieter. Big Bill fre- quently wiped his face. Even that human oak tree was nervous; it was clear, though, that we could have depended on this one to the death, had we need of him. The glance that he bent on my mistress was slavish in its devotion. Black Kate and Sam, who, you may be sure, missed not the siiehtest cherane: ef com- plexion in our party, grew correspondingly more sure of themselves. Yet Kate was a little worried, too, by my mistress’s uncan- cerned air. It was clear from her expression that she suspected Jessie might have a t trick up. her sleeve. He did not come in ten minutes, nor in twenty. Very likely he purposely delayed his coming to heighten the effect. — Then we lost Pap. Suddenly the poor wretch with a groan went staggering over to Kate, spreading his hands out. He could not speak at first. A revolting figure of breken humanity. One turned one’s head . away from the sight. An anima of rage broke from Bill and Fingy. Sam gave a loud brutal laugh. He could be very brave against poor Pap. “ Get back!” he cried. ‘“ We don’t want you, old general debility!” : Pap found his voice. “I ain’t took no sides,” he quavered. ‘I ain’t said a word one way or the other. I don’t want ne trou- ble with nebody. Im neutral.” ‘¢ There’s no neutrals in the organization,” said Black Kate. Pap’s voice scaled up. word! Not a word!” “Vou didn’t speak when you had the chance,” said Kate. “ Get back to your friends.” | Pap turned around. All our men, of course, were scowling ferociously. The piti- ful old wretch with a face of despair, stag- gered toward the door. Fingy made a move in his direction, but Jessie laid a hand on his arm. We heard Pap stumble down the stairs. Sam looked at Kate-inquiringly. “TY ain't said a “ He can’t get out,” she said coolly. “ He ~ don’t know the trick of the slidimg door.” A general discussion arose as to what should be dene with me. AIl the men on -like growl ees ~— —— Ss Fa our side thought that I ought to be kept out of sight at least until the major ques- tion was decided. They thought I would confuse the issue. Black Kate affected to believe that there was no place where I could be safely confined, except down cellar. Jessie refused to allew me to be put down cellar. So I stayed where I was, On our side Jessies word was law, The suspense became unendurable. Dur- ing the last few minutes nobody said a word. We were all coneentrated on the business of contrelling our shaking nerves. Only my wonderful mistress maintained her air of unconeern. She lighted a cigarette. That simple act administered a jolt to Black . Kate’s assurance. When the front door bell sounded through the house, one could almost have sworn that one heard the beating of the hearts in that. room. Black Kate was very pale when she went out. tion. My mistress dropped her cigarette on the floor and trod out the light. : eee cron the room. Our eyes were frxed-_on the doer in mingled curiosity and terror. T here was nobody behind her. There was a pause long enough | for our heartstrings to squeeze up in appreher Then a masked man entered the room. _ The mask was no more than @ narrow black strip across the upper part of his face. A mere stage trick, but most infernally ef- fective. It brought mystery into. the room with him. I could hear the strong men in— front of me catch their breaths in terror. Little Tim Helder took off his hat; a signi- ficant gesture In him. Something went out of the backbones of all those men. Had we been depending on them, we would have been lost. I stole a look in my mistress’s face. Outwardly it expressed a blank, but I could see that she was smiling inside. A woman of iron! As for the rest, the man who came in was tall and heavily built; a middle-aged man one would suppose from his girth, though his black hair was still unstreaked by gray. He were his hat throughout, and kept turning a thick black cigar between: his teeth. The lower part of his face expressed a coarse strength, but the mask dominated all. Apart fronr that mask, and ordinary Nobody else une his posi- Eomicboo cS (<©)