Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 12, 1927 — page 101: what you’re looking at

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

THE MARK OF top story had not had time enough to run down the main staircase to the floor be- low before our lights, and the light from the doctor’s room on the second story, would have betrayed him. There was the one chance that he might have run down the back stairs through the kitchen, and then to the hallway, and dragged the body away before Miss Shirley appeared with her iight. But this, as the doctor pointed out, was impossible because of Cronk. “In plain terms, we have to believe in the impossible,” he concluded. This brought us back to the preposter- ous and barbaric notion of the Mexican breed Pasqual, who affirmed that the judge walked from his grave each night to com- mit some new murder. “ A ghost,” Dr. Zobel admitted, “ might have been able to hide that body—but no human being could.” Before the day was over my theory that Pythagoras Awls was the guilty man, and was using his conjuror’s tricks to befuddle us all, had a very serious blow. In fact, it was practically wiped out as false. Pythagoras came back! Now, just what this could mean neither Dr. Zobel nor I could determine. The old Negro had cast suspicion upon himself by leaving, although in the last analysis it was not a very serious suspi- cion. He had cause enough to be afraid of the deputy sheriff, and of the house, and of us all. Negroes had been lynched in Texas, and when any one of their race got into trouble he had to watch out. It was best to stay away from trouble altogether, even if it involved bringing suspicion upon one’s head. Here was this old duffer manacled and imprisoned in a house where there were all sorts of mysterious proceedings: afoot. What would you have done if you were in his place? You would get out as quick as you could. Well, here he was back again. And his return, I must say, was harder to explain than his escape. Why should he come back into this mess, where he knew he could hope for only the scantest sort of jus- a 7 : we * - ee ae ao FO, al Le St eee eS ae —_ e ” > 4 Fae 4 THE MOCCASIN. 95 I thought perhaps he had considered the folly of trying to run away. He was a wise enough old dog to know that he would have trouble getting very far. If he went to Louisiana he would not be received in the Marsh Country beyond the Sabine River, because there were none of his own people down that way. Farther north there was the law and order of the whites. His other alternative was to go west toward the Mexican border, but then he would be escaping into the heart of Texas, and each mile he would be received with still more suspicion. Perhaps he was wise enough to come back and bluff it all out. And then there was another motive which occurred to me later, and which I had good reason to believe was the actual motive that prompted him to return to play his part in the drama: he wanted money. He knew Miss Shirley had all that any human being would want, and more. These old tricksters have a fine nose for money. He explained his disappearance of the night before very easily. Entering the hallway where Miss Shirley, the doctor, and I were seated, he doffed his old silk top hat and held it aloft: “Greetin’s to you, Miss Scudder, and greetin’s to you, gen’l’men.” ‘“* How in the name of Heaven did you get away?” the doctor exclaimed. ‘““T had a pass-key, doctor-boss. But I waited till the propitious time for to use same. And when [ got home I filed off them handcuffs.” ‘““And what did you come back for?” “IT changed my mind, doctor-boss. That thar’s the long and the short of it. I fled from the deputy sheriff, and then I arose and said to myself: Don’ run away, Dr. Awls, don’ run away. Nebber yet have you had occasion for to run away from man- kind. Go back and do your duty.” “Your duty? What the devil’s your duty?” “To help those who are in distress.” “How do you think you can help us?” “ Spiritu’lly, doctor-boss, spiritu’lly.” “We've had enough of spirits in this : re . ae, oe ae Een Re pos onfounded house!” the doctor exclaimed.