The Argosy, Vol. 83 No. 1 — page 67: what you’re looking at

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

HAMPTON OF my business,” he answered, a trifle trucu- lently, “I will say that I did get what I went after. You may tell Exmoor that, if you like, but I fancy that he’ll know it even before you see him.” Jerry shrugged indifferently. “T congratulate you,” he said. ‘I can assure you that I don’t know the merits of the case. It seems my fortune—good or bad, as you please—to know all the parties to it, and I confess that I don’t know much in favor of any one of you; but Ill congratulate any man who gets what he goes after. Perhaps I ought to feel really glad about it, for there will be less likelihood of you raiding my house and farm again.” They stepped aboard a down-town ex- press and rode in silence to One Hundred and Sixty-Eighth Street. “You needn’t come any farther with me,” said Kingsale, rising as the train stopped; “I’m almost myself again now.” But he tottered and swayed weakly as he spoke, and Jerry caught his arm and helped him to alight, then went with him to the street above and refused to leave him until he was safely home. The man gave in with surprisingly little protest, and Jerry was at once convinced that he would not learn much from him by strategy. They walked slowly to Audubon Ave- nue and north as far as One Hundred and Seventy-Third Street, where Kingsale stopped at the entrance to an apartment house. “T don’t think I’ve heard your name, sir,” he said. ‘“‘Ffampton,” responded Jerry. “T dare say that we shall meet again, Mr. Hampton,” Kingsale went on, “‘and some time I may be able to return some- thing more than thanks for the great ser- vice you have done me. I am not un- grateful, whatever else I may be. By the way, I believe you left a fowl in a certain place for a certain person,” he added; “your name was on the box that con- tained it. How much was that fowl worth, Mr. Hampton?” THE HEIGHTS. 57 ‘The fowl,” answered Jerry, with a pe- culiar smile, “‘has already been charged to ‘loss and gain.’ Think no more about it, Mr. Kingsale.” The man held out his hand and Jerry took it. There were some further pro- testations of gratitude, and then Kingsale walked into the vestibule of the house in a thoroughly at-home manner, and Jerry turned and went rapidly away. After going south one block, however, he slipped suddenly into a dark doorway on the opposite side of the avenue and fixed his eyes on the house he had left. He was thoroughly tired and felt that he had had enough of adventure for one day, but he waited, never taking his eyes from the house, and a half hour passed. Sleep began to steal upon him, his eye- lids drooped and he felt himself nodding, when his man suddenly darted out of the house and hurried northward at a brisk pace. Jerry barely saw him, in a flash of the eye, but he was sure of the identity and he started after him with fresh zeal, keeping carefully in the shadows. He saw him swing around the corner of One Hundred and Seventy-Sixth Street, going strong in spite of his recent weak- ness, and he took a long chance and ran at top speed through One Hundred and- Seventy-Fifth Street to Amsterdam Ave- nue. A Greek peanut vender was trun- dling a hand-cart along the avenue, with the whistle of a peanut roaster shrilling merrily, and with instant inspiration Jerry ran to him. “Let me push your cart for you,” he said, “and I’ll give you a dollar.” The Greek was incredulous and sus- picious. He waved his arms in eloquent protest at such madness. Jerry flourished a dollar bill before his eyes. “Tl give you that just to let me push the cart,” he repeated, ‘‘and you can walk one block behind me and see that I don’t get away with the peanuts.” He helped out his explanation with ges- tures, and the Greek, convinced of his in- sanity, decided to humor him and secure the “easy money.” Gomichook co