The Argosy, August 1905 — page 107: what you’re looking at

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

suppose that I would give up the seeds until I had heard Tapscott’s side of it— which is now impossible.” * Where is Tapscott ? ” “1 cannot tell you, for to do so would betray his confidence.” The professor’s eyes gleamed angrily — as he got out of the chair. “ Will you give me part of the packet, then? * asked he. ee No.” Byngs walked to the door, his slight form shaking with the wrath that con- vulsed him. * We shall see, we shall see,” he mut- tered. ‘Where are ways to compel an adjustment of the wrong I have suffered and I shall lose no time in setting about at. With that the little man flung out of the room and slammed the door. “Whew!” exclaimed Blinkers as he shoved the bolt behind him, “These scientists are warm fellows when they think they have a grievance.” “Byngs made ‘Tapseott a lot of trouble,” said Trenwyck, “ and possibly he will annoy us with his schemes unless we take time by the forelock and get out of the country. Fortunately, we sail in the morning.” Trenwyck got up, laid aside the re- mains of his cigar, finished the last of his shandygaff, and went off to bed. Blinkers soon followed him. Two bedrooms opened off the larger room, one at each end. In his own chamber Blinkers wrestled with his thoughts for a long time at the expense of his rest. When he finally lost himself it was in an uneasy slumber from which he was abruptly awakened. Some one, it seemed to him, was moving stealthily about the sitting-room. Getting softly out of bed, he stole to the chamber door and _ peered through. A gas-jet was burning dimly above the table; in its light he saw that the table- drawer was open, that the paper con- taining the seeds had been removed and unfolded, and that a questionable- looking man stood close by and was gazing down at them. _ The intruder wore a cap and a mask. A dark lantern with the shutter —.* rf , closed stood on the table near a decanter of wine, and a revolver lay near the seeds. Trenwyck’s suite of rooms was in the ‘third story at the back of the hotel. A fire-escape ran past the window of the larger room, and Blinkers observed that this window was open. A robbery was being consummated! As Blinkers watched, the thief pushed back his cap and shifted the mask to brush one sleeve across his forehead. He was the very man who had heen in the hall outside Tapscoti’s lodgings when Blinkers and Trenwyek had taken their departure for the Forty-Third Street house! After replacing his cap and mask, the robber poured himself a drink out of the decanter and tossed it off at a swal- low; then he took a hasty look around, picked up his lantern and revolver and started softly into Trenwyck’s chamber. Blinkers had plenty of courage, and part of the equipment he had brought from Texas included a brace of six- shooters. With cat-like softness he moved to his trunk, took out one of the revolvers, and then stole from the cham- ber. The robber was still moving around in Trenwyek’s room. At the table, an idea came to Blinkers—rather a vague expedient, but he thought it well worth the trying. Lifting one of the millet-like grains on the point of a steel paper-knife, he dropped it into the glass by the de- canter. His next move was to hide behind the curtains at the open window. Tle had not long to wait. The robber presently emerged from Trenwyck’s room and returned to the table. There he put down the lantern again, thrust his revolver into his hip-pocket and be- gan folding up the packet of seeds. What Blinkers had hoped for came to pass. The intruder’s thirst once more mani- fested itself, and he poured a drink from the decanter into the glass. He quaffed it, and then—the tumbler crashed to fragments on the table. Aroused by the sound, Trenwyck leaped from his bed and rushed into the sitting-room. Blinkers, a strange expression on his face, stood by the - table and gave his friend a dazed look as he ran Se toward him. 7 Na - - et ti, ie