The Argosy, August 1905 — page 87: what you’re looking at

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

, ° id + al r] hs 4 , ig the proposed visit to ancient Damaseus. They rode into Jerusalem, tired, dusty and hungry, at nightfall. Mohun lingered for a word with Imbarak as the party dismounted in front of the - Grand Hotel. The others passed on into the terrace reception-room. ‘“ Any new arrivals since we left, land- lord?” asked Sir Arthur as the portly host greeted them on the threshold. “ Only one, sir,” rephed the boniface; “an American gentleman—Mr. Zenas Shattuck, of Boston, U.S. A.” ‘Another fellow-citizen of yours, Mrs. Sharpe,” the major was beginning gaily, when a man who had been stand- ing in the center of the wide room slouched forward toward them. He was long rather than tall, lean to emaciation, with enormous hands, feet and ears, and a wrinkled, grayish face, in whose narrow eyes and thin-lipped mouth a half-humorous shrewdness and a tremendous fund of latent energy seemed to dwell. His keen glance swept the group and there was a suppressed look of disap- pointment on his leathery face as he ended the scrutiny. “ Heard my name mentioned,” he said in an unmistakable “ Down-Hast ” draw]. “Let me make myself ac- guainted. 1’m Zenas Shattuck, of ——” He paused and, turning suddenly, walked up to Ralph Mohun, who was just entering the room. “T want you, young man,” he said, laying his hand on the newcomer’s shoulder. f Ralph spun around as though gal- vanized by the touch. His eyes rested on Shattuck with a sort of horrified fas- cination as the latter opened his thin lips to speak again. But the words never left them. Tor, shaking off the momentary apathy of amazement, Mohun drove his left fist full into the other’s face. The long, lean man reeled backward with the velocity of a catapult, caromed against a table and tumbled heavily to the floor, upsetting a chair and a bric-a- brac-covered taboret in his fall. Before the prostrate victim could make a move to rise, before the amazed spectators could move or speak, Ralph Mohun with — & ~*~. ‘i - 7 ; x + ayey a 2 “/- a single bound had reached the long French window leading out into the hotel gardens. He tugged fiercely at_the knob, then, putting his shoulders té the sash, burst the stout fastenings and leaped out into the darkness, a shower of glass elatter- ing to the polished floor behind him. Zenas Shattuck, revolver in hand, sprang through the wrecked window in hot pursuit. CHAPTER III. IN THE GARDEN OF SORROWS. In speechless astonishment the four tourists looked from one to another of their number, each seeing reflected in the nearest face the blank amazement of his own. Cole was the first to break silence. “ Our friend Mohun seems to be—er wanted, as the London bobbies say,” he remarked dazedly. ‘ What the deuce do you suppose he’s done? That chap was a detective, I'll bet a fiver.” No one answered. Old Mrs. Sharpe, with feminine intuition, came closer to Miss Varrar and slipped an arm about the trembling girls waist. She felt May’s heart beating tumultuously and knew what that moment of suspense and shock must mean to her. The embarrassing- interval was broken by the return of Zenas Shattuek. He reappeared in the broken window- Trame, muddy and bruised from several tunrbles in the dark garden, his forehead bleeding shightly from Kalph Mohun’s blow, and his whole aspect the pieture of rough usage and disorder. But the white blaze of rage in his little blue eyes, the wrath and pallor of his sallow. leathery face drew attention from mere details of costume. “Did you cateh him?” asked Sir Arthur with cheerful fatuity. “Yes,” snarled Shattuck savagely. “ Of course ve got him. Here in my pocket. Any fool could see that.” “ I—I suppose you're a detective? ~ faltered Sir Arthur, his Anglican mind groping for a hidden meaning in Shat- tuck’s words. pas “And I s*pose you’re an English- man,” snapped Zenas; “ and that shows a “ ~ at a > we “ % “~ s r how all-fired smart we bothare.” cComicbooks.com