Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 123, No. 4 — page 160: what you’re looking at

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

666 livered for another day, as it was, and if I had not heard the tapping my great-uncle might not have lasted that long; so I con- sidered that this hardly let Richard Deane out of the pegponsibility for a cowardly crime. The mocking message at the end was so much-in keeping with the unscrupulous nature of the man, that if I had met him at that exact moment, it might not have passed off so harmlessly as on our first en- counter. The postmaster probably read my thoughts from the vicious energy with which I crumpled up the telegram and thrust it into my pocket. “Bad news?” he hazarded. CG No.” : “ Mr. Deane sick?” he went on, unruffled by my short answer. I had calculated on the gossip that would follow the news of my uncle’s imprisonment and the plot of his brother, and decided already that no one should know the exact truth except the doctor, whom I felt I had to trust and could more safely confide in. I had my story ready, and told it with every appearance of easy willingness to talk. ‘He has had a sort of stroke, been un- able to eat for several days, and is very weak. while old Peter was away, and did the best we could until it was possible to get the doctor. The storm blew down the bridge and it was too rough to use a boat.” “J know,” he nodded. “ Turrible blow, most the worst we’ve had in nigh forty years. Even the government supply boat couldn’t get to the lightship and had to lay up in Bedford Harbor a couple of days. “ Did that big fellow with the ugly mug and the crumpled ear, land your way? He’s been wanderin’ around the island like a crazy man, tryin’ to git some one to take him over in a boat to your place. Wouldn’t say what he wanted, and from the cast of his face, it wa’n’t no good. ‘Our constable kept an eye on him reg- ular, but he ain’t done no harm yet we could jug him for. Couldn’t get no one to lend him a boat until yestiddy afternoon when he got one from a Portugee, and set sail in it alone bound your way.” Digitize y Go ogle Fortunately, we were with him ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. ‘“He’s there, all right, but with a cracked skull. The waves broached his boat and drove him on the rocks, where he got a nasty knock and I pulled him in un- conscious. The doctor will patch him up, and then we can find out his business.” My apparent frankness ‘had its effect on the postmaster, and we parted good ‘friends. I saw him regaling the loungers with the news, and I congratulated myself on my foresight in having my story prepared in advanced. I rejoined the doctor and we set out on our row. I had taken a liking to him from the start, and I’ve learned to know men at once in my trade. I liked him still better when I had taken him into my confidence, and told him such of our three- days’ adventures as I felt could not be withheld, finishing with a request that for Mr. Deane’s sake he would not tell any- one. He nodded. ‘“ Certainly, I see no reason why the story | should get out, unless, of course, one of them should die. In that case <here would have to be an inquest. However,” he add- ed, “I don’t think that is likely, judging from your account.” ‘“‘ Thank you,” I said heartily, ‘ you have relieved my mind. I believe the gossip will be more likely to kill Mr. Deane than the starvation.” “Tf the folks in this town ever started to gossip they wouldn’t let it die of star- vation,” he observed dryly. ‘I’ve only been here six months, but they’ve got all my private history made out for me. Had us divorced, and a second husband found already for my wife. Guess I don’t hand them any real gossip to chew on this time.” I laughed, and gave the doctor one of the two cigars I had bought with a quar- ter borrowed from Peter. We made the dock in record time, and I brought the doc- tor at once to my great-uncle’s room where he was lying quite comfortably in his own He was conscious now and anxious to talk, but the doctor would not let him. He made a thorough examination and said that Shirley had done the right thing. “Feed him only broth and keep him quiet, no talking to-day, Mr: Deane. I'll Original from 0 ] IE OHIO STATE UO | = | ba T . \ ba GOOOIK