The Argosy, Vol. 82 No. 2 — page 55: what you’re looking at

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

GETTING AWAY FROM THOMPSON. His head bobbed most emphatically at the wide-eyed Jane. “You see, my dear,” concluded Mr. Por- ter-Preston, ‘if Thompson isn’t served be- fore Monday morning—this thing actually put into his actual hand, that is—there’s no really solid ground for hope that your for- tune will ever come to you. I’m afraid that your party will have to turn around and start back for New York, my dear, or else go on without you.” “You can serve a man by publication, under some circumstances,” Mr. Farnham hazarded. “Vou can’t serve this man that way, be- cause there isn’t time,’’ Mr. Porter-Preston said briefly. ‘Furthermore, Jane will have to be on hand, ready to rush headlong into ‘ court at five minutes’ notice and give her testimony.” Jane Fayre glanced up at Farnham. “We'll hurry back,” said she. “T’ll ex- plain it to them somehow; and—it’s queer, but I’m not nearly so frightened at the idea of meeting Thompson now.”’ She smiled softly and Farnham pressed the hand that had been slipped under his arm; and Uncle Horace, being past any real sympathy for young romance, started back toward the clearing with a grunt. But just beside the car Mr. Porter-Preston paused and looked back impatiently at the pair who loitered after. ‘““And Jane!” he said, in a low and force- ful tone. “I wouldn’t waste one minute that can be saved. Just remember that the whole object of your life just now is to catch Thompson while—” Here, glancing down at Cragg, who tin- kered with his new tire, and realizing that Cragg owned ears, Mr. Porter-Preston Stopped abruptly and moved on again and Jane moved after him. But Mr. Farnham, murmuring something about having a look at the néw shoe, paused beside their driver. With great reason, Cragg had gained added interest for Mr. Farnham these last few seconds. It seemed to have escaped Jane and her uncle, but the young man’s quick eye had caught their driver’s strange start, the sudden duck with which his head went down over the tire, the momentary, frightened sidelong glance he shot after Jane Fayre and, more than all the rest, the ghastly pallor of Mr. Cragg’s cheek! “Cragg,” said Mr. Farnham. Again the driver started, muttering: “Watcher want, boss?” 287 ‘“T want to know exactly what’s the mat- ter with you!” Mr. Farnham inquired, crouching beside him and poking the new tire. “There’s nothing the matter with me,” the driver answered faintly. ‘Tell that to some one who hasn’t been watching you,” Mr. Farnham pursued. “What makes you so white, Cragg?” Swiftly, the peculiar driver’s stealthy eye darted toward his questioner and, in rather less than one second,.made a thorough study of his countenance. It was a stern countenance just now, with set chin and penetrating eyes, and one might have fancied that Cragg would have quailed under its steady inspection. In- stead, the chauffeur’s tension relaxed visi- bly! ‘“That’s heart disease,” he said. “I have spells. I just had one.” “That’s a lie!” “You can ask my doctor,” suggested Mr. Cragg, as he tightened a nut. ‘‘And when you tell me the reason for that, you may also tell me why you want to leave this party—and I’d advise you to speed up a little with the recital, or I may be forced to knock it out of you,” Mr. Farnham pursued. This time Crage faced him squarely. “You can start anything you like,” he said. “A big healthy guy like you and a little shrimp like me with a weak heart! I'll put up ail the scrap that’s in me, and if the heart croaks me, that’s up to you!” ‘Well, I—I don’t mean—” Mr. Farn- ham stammered, angrily. “Tt dunno what’s wrong with this gang,” the driver went on steadily. “I think you’re all crazy, but it ain’t for me to say. I only came along here because Jones asked me to, and I hoped maybe you could get some- body else at Albany. The reason I want to quit is that I ain’t in proper health to drive a car, and [ want to get home and see my doctor!” His injured eye challenged Mr. Farn- ham, and accused him of cowardice and per- secution and several other things; and Mr. Farnham, quite certain the smaller person was lying, rose suddenly and growled. He yearned to take Mr. Cragg by the collar and shake the truth out of him; and at the same time there was always the chance that the man might have been re- citing simple fact. It was possible that his heart was weak and—bah! CORMMICLOOOKS (C@