Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 18, 1928 — page 158: what you’re looking at

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

956 He sketched the earlier happenings of the evening as briefly as possible. While they were alone Jane listened with attention and sympathy. But soon a pros- pective shopper arrived. And then Jed learned that the purchase of the expensive necktie had been a useless expense. Jane was not the Jane he was searching for. She was not expecting any one in a snappy roadster or any car for that matter. She was sorry, but she didn’t see that there was any way she could help. She wished she might, but her time was taken up with her shoppe. Jed took the hint and departed. He left the shoppe without Jane. He was how- ever the possessor of a necktie that he need- ed about as much as a cat needs whiskers. “So that’s that.” For some inexplic- able reason this last encounter roused Jed’s fighting spirit. “If that Jane woman is anywhere in this Charleston, by heck, I’m going to find her!” He hadn’t any more idea now how it was to be accomplished than he had at first. Continued failure was making him obsti- nate. Then a plan suddenly flashed across his mind. Pushing his way as rapidly as pos- sible through the crowds he made for the desk. Stupid he hadn’t thought of it before. The simplest thing in the world, too. Of course the way to find Jane was to have her paged. Reaching the desk he explained what he wanted. A bell-boy was called. He stood on one foot with the other poised ready for in- stant flight. Then the awful recollection dawned on Jed that Jane was the only name he knew. No amount of tip would persuade the bell- ‘boy to go through the hotel calling: “ Jane, Jane!”’ Besides, since the necktie episode, funds were at a low ebb. If it wasn’t so tragic it would be funny. How had he happened to start this thing that he couldn’t finish anyway? He won- dered if he was beginning to lose his mind. _ Drat the whole business. Playing the good Samaritan had certainly tangled him » eamy besides —_ him the chance of | ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. an interview with John Anderson, at least for that night. Jed began to feel that the superior clerk behind the desk was regarding him with Suspicious eyes. The bell-boy also seemed unnecessarily curious.. It would be absurd to explain that Jane was all the name he knew of the person he wanted paged. It would sound as if he were an escaped lunatic. If he kept silent any longer they’d be sure of it. ‘““ What name did you say?” The clerk’s tone was crisp. “Jane,” after gulping several times Jed blurted out: ‘“‘ Anderson—Jane Anderson,” he repeated it as if the name rather pleased him. This name of the man he had expected to call on happened to be the first that came to his mind. He mopped an excited brow as the boy started off calling in unnecessarily loud tones: ‘““ Miss Jane Anderson.” ‘T didn’t say ‘ miss,’” muttered Jed. ‘“What’s that?” quickly asked the clerk. “It’s no matter.” What Jed refrained from saying was: “ It’s none of your blank business. If you hadn’t been so darned impatient I wouldn’t have got into this last mess.” This was not altogether true, but Jed was beginning to feel that he was spend- ing more time on this stranger’s business than he was called on to do. If it hadn’t been for the injured man he might this very minute be accepting a position in the An- derson factory. Of course it was too late to call now. He would wait for the bellboy to return. Then he would get the car and Kearny. Poor Kearny! He had had a long wait. He would take the car back to the hospital. If the injured man were conscious he would explain to him that he had failed to locate his wife. The bellboy was returning. out a modest tip and handed it to him. The boy vanished and Jed was about to depart when— Jed fished The girl must have followed closely be-:— hind the page. held out a friendly hand. “com book She smiled at Bes then “CO i=