Argosy All-Story Weekly, July 11, 1925 — page 71: what you’re looking at

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

ae - "THE INNOCENT. 225 “You've butted in where you got no ‘ business. All right—mebbe we'll tend to you, too!” “Search ’em!” quick! We haven’t much time! fellow first.” Big Mike saw the pistol’s deadly tunnel pointed straight at his eyes. Perforce he elevated his arms and, grimacing and grumbling, stood as motionless as his friends. Beth, though trembling, took an ugly blackjack from under his belt and then examined into the bulge in his coat pocket. It yielded five chastely designed spoons, seven forks, a gold watch, a pair of ornate amber-and-gold ear decorations, three bracelets, a costly medallion, a pair of monogrammed scissors, four delicate Irish lace handkerchiefs, and a dainty little gold- and-silver vase. “Throw ’em on the floor!” cried Steve in a weak voice. “ Then chase these bur- glars out. Hurry!” “ Burglars?” snarled Big Mike. “ Cut out the insults, see? It’s owr stuff, ain’t it? We paid for it, didn’t we? Yah! You keep talkin’ like that and pretty soon we'll come and give you another dose—and this fluffy-haired moll, too.” Steve indifferently pulled the trigger. The room rocked. A flash of flame streaked under Big Mike’s chin and ripped his bulging red necktie apart. He clutched at his throat. His eyes popped and his face turned chalk-white. “ Cut it out!” he gibbered. “ Dammit, you might ’a’ killed me!” “‘T will, next time,” promised Steve in a whispering voice. ‘“ Beth—make ’em face the wall—search ’em—chase ’em out— hurry!” “ Stephen!” she pleaded. “The noise! The neighbors! Do you want publicity?” “Ves, I don’t care now, Give their names to the Federal officers—the newspa- the limit—telephone. Hurry!” ; No!” yelled the tall man, “ Beth—you can’t hold ’em long—but tell the newspapers. Hurry!” . You do that,” snarled Big Mike, “ and we ll— Steve made the big fellow’s eyes stare gasped Steve. ‘ Be The big straight into the pistol muzzle, The man wilted. Steve made a little gesture. The chastened gang fell into line like a military squad, facing the door. The frightened Beth delved into pockets that yielded cutlery, scarfs, ivory, brocades, silks, and even a splendid hand mirror. Articles fell to the floor in a tumbled heap until Beth’s trem- bling hand opened the door and pointed toward the darkening street. The men sul- lenly filed out. The last one, Big Mike, tossed a glance backward, but the bore of the pistol was still leveled straight at him. He shrugged his wide shoulders, slammed his battered hat upon his head, and shuf- fled down the front steps. ~~ Beth closed the door; she leaned against it. Reaction set in. She took a deep breath and looked upon the wreckage on the floor. “ Ah, why did they do that?” she asked piteously. ‘“‘ And why did they treat you sor” Her eyes widened. “ Stephen!” The pistol was still pointed upward, bal- anced in his cupped left hand; but his eyes were closed. 1d. ConFUSED ideas and hazy impressions flitted across Steve’s chaotic mind like a flickering movie edited by totally irrespon- sible demons. Queer personages floated be- fore his distorted vision. The worst was a coal-black creature with thick red lips and kinky hair. Then there was a blonde woman with a square jaw and a masterful manner who soothed and bullied him. There was also a young woman with big brown eyes who flitted in and out for no particular reason, sometimes bringing other phantoms who stared at him through iron bars. But the most alarming exhibit in the whole weird menagerie was a grave and deliberate personage with a glowing black > Vandyke beard, who performed tricks with strange bottles and odors while murmuring “ There, there, there,” in a seductive voice. Steve soon ascertained that this person was a treacherous fraud likely to make lightning motions and jab things. The victim deter- mined to unmask this rascal and managed to tear away part of the black beard before — several other scoundrels bore him down, >