Argosy (UK), January 1955 — page 129: what you’re looking at

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

CAPTAIN LIGHTFOOT 127 Michael of a sudden felt cold as ice. ‘“‘ They’ve taken Regis Donnell? ” *“* Ay,” cried Kevin. ‘“‘ They’ve taken him, and he’s on his way to Dublin Castle and hanging. It’s high treason he’s wanted for.” And so Michael rode back to Dublin on a battered old cart with - Kevin and Maureen. He was dressed in patched country clothes provided by Kevin, his hair was tousled, his face dirty, and the few who noticed him at all saw no difference between him and the other two in the cart, except that the son was much paler than the father or daughter. They deposited him in the courtyard at Nine Steps at two o clocks of a misty, rainy morning, and at last Maureen had the courage to kiss him on the mouth and say: ‘‘ Good luck, Captain. Good luck. Ill pray for you.”’ And Michael returned the kiss and gave her a long hug, and Kevin said with a sigh: ‘“‘ The poor girl will remem- ber that to her dying day.” Big Tom, with the help of Trim and two of the ostlers, carried Michael to the Fort and made him comfortable. The Fort was Big 'Tom’s best hide-out, exclusively for important, badly wanted men. It was entered through an innocent-looking, disused smoke-house, off the courtyard. In the back of the smoke- house wall was a small, hidden wooden door; this opened into a large, low-ceiled, comfortable room with two beds, a big table, and many chairs. Best of all, there was a secret exit which led down through the cellars of Nine Steps, where there was a warren of basement rooms and wine-cellars and store-rooms, a bewildering labyrinth for the uninitiated. Later, after some soup and grog, he felt better, and Trim sat down with him for a conference. ** So they’ve taken Regis Donnell? ” Trim nodded slowly. ‘‘ We walked right into it, sir. "T'was bad luck.” “Oh no,” cried Michael. ‘‘ We did not walk right into it. We brought it on, Trim. I led them right to him, and it was all the damnedest black-hearted accident, just because I wanted to see... but never mind that. What else? ” “The apartment is being watched night and day. Miss Ara has been warned to do nothing. But she’s frantic, Captain.” *'Warned how? ”’ “T had a note slipped to the butcher, who gave it to Mary when she was marketing. It was risky, but I had to do it, Captain. No telling what Miss Ara might do.”’ “1 can’t stay here for ever,’’ shouted Michael impatiently, rising _ from the bed. ‘Trim studied Michael’s face shrewdly, then he lowered his eyes and said: ‘‘ Doherty was a great one for lying low at the right time. ‘That’s how he carried on to forty. Twenty years of such a life without a moment in prison is somewhat in the nature of a record. It was all from lying low at the right time.” comiclooks.comn