The Argosy, Vol. 82 No. 2 — page 77: what you’re looking at

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

GETTING AWAY FROM THOMPSON. speed it came out and raced to Mr. Farn- ham’s side-pocket, while the other hand did likewise. The lady’s ears appeared to twitch, like the ears of a horse warned of danger. The hands, working together very nicely by this time, flashed into view and flashed out of sight even again, this time exploring Mr. Farnham’s trousers-pockets—and abruptly Mr. Farnham said: ‘Well, upon my word! I remember now! I left my wallet home, locked up in my desk!” “Wilbur!” cried Jane. “Ves! I remember putting the small stuff in this pocket—seven or eight dollars in silver and single bills—and meaning to get the wallet the very last thing, and then the clock struck—vwell, all that doesn’t help much now, does it?’ Mr. Farnham asked with an apologetic smile. “I shall have to call on your purse for this three dollars, Jane.” And there the young man’s smile faded out abruptly. There was nothing even faintly suggestive of three dollars.in the blank gaze with which Jane was regarding him; her eyes were thunderstruck, her lips parted, as she said: “Why, Wilbur! cent!” I haven’t even one CHAPTER XV. LAW AND THE LAWLESS. ANY are the unusual situations which baffle all concerned; this one baffled a mere two-thirds of the persons involved. While Jane and Wilbur Farnham stared at each other the elder lady’s iron hand gripped the situation, as it were, and brought it under perfect, instant control. “Vou can’t play none o’ that on me!” she said vigorously. ‘You €ome right up with that three dollars!”’ “My—my dear lady—” Mr. Farnham began. “You pay me that three dollars and no nonsense, or it’ll be the worse for you!”’ the lady insisted, and emphasized each word by a rap on the table. ‘I ain’t the fool I look by no means, and I tell you—” “If you will just be patient one minute,” Mr. Farnham said sweetly. ‘‘We are not trying to swindle you, dear lady. We—” “You bet you ain’t, and you ain’t going to!” the “dear lady” assured him. 259 “The thing is an unfortunate accident, and nothing more, and when you pause to consider that we are several hundred miles from home without even the price of one gallon of gasoline, you will agree that we— and not you—are getting the worst of it. Jane,” said Mr. Farnham, quite pathetical- ly, “are you quite sure that—that—”’ ‘‘Y’m only too sure,” Jane said. “I never carry any money when we’re in the car—or very rarely. Aunt Hettie had Aunt Martha’s bag with our cash in it—the brown one, you know, with—” The lady of the house laughed harshly. “You needn’t t’ bother with all that play-actin’ on my account,” she said in- cisively. “I’ve seen your kind before and dealt with ’em! You pay up!” “That is exactly what we mean to do!” Mr. Farnham’s temper was coming up briskly. “You may believe that we’re here with just one dime or not, as you choose. That privilege belongs to you. And as to paying your three dollars, I'll either send it to you as soon as we have wired for funds, Ofacu2? “Or there may be something on the car that we could leave for security?” Jane sug- gested anxiously. “Yes, or that!’? concluded Mr. Farnham. “You ain’t got anything hitched on that car that I want, and as for sending my three dollars along, I wouldn’t trust you no further than I could see you, and mebbe not that far. I’ve seen beats before dressed up just as nice as you be, and—” The flow of words stopped suddenly as the lady looked from the window of her pretty little home. Also did the emphatic shaking of her head cease, and a slow, as- tonished smile of genuine pleasure came to her lips. She turned back to Mr. Farnham tri- umphantly. “T guess you wl pay now!” said she. “There’s our Batesford constable down there in the road!” It was annoying, of course, and altogether ridiculous, but a visible shock ran through Wilbur Farnham. He stepped to the door- way and frowned threateningly at the sunny world beyond, and Jane came close to his side and remained there. If the person in the roadway was a con- stable there was something really discon- certing about his actions. He had arrived in a buckboard, and even when they saw him first his eye was upon Jane Fayre’s car. COmmiclboooks (C@)