The Argosy, Vol. 83 No. 1 — page 75: what you’re looking at

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

HAMPTON OF The two others went on without heeding him. They were Exmoor and Kingsale. It was long since he had seen the latter, and Exmoor had changed his appearance since the burglary episode, but he had an- ticipated the recognition and it was easy. Exmoor had a short club or blackjack in his hand, and Kingsale was struggling to wrest it from him or to hinder him from using it. Kingsale was no longer young, and his opponent was his junior by no more than ten years, but both of them fought with vigor and dash. They floundered upon the creaking floor, hampered alike by the ruins of a broken table and some crockery and glass- _ ware, but they were careful, even in their frenzy, to avoid unnecessary noise. All at once it seemed that the bludgeon for which they contended fulfilled its pur- pose. Kingsale’s head fell back, his arms relaxed in their clutching embrace of his antagonist, and he became inert. Delroy, leaning forward recklessly, saw Exmoor rise to his knees and plunge a hand eagerly into the breast pocket of the beaten man. He saw him grope frantically for an instant, then draw forth a small packet and leap to his feet with a stifled cry of satisfaction. Delroy took. another step forward, and Exmoor, turning his head at the instant, saw him. “Delroy!” cried the man, astounded, and made a wild spring for him. Delroy gave back a pace and his heavy stick descended upon Exmoor’s head, fell- ing him. In a flash the packet changed hands again, and the new _ possessor whirled, and darted for the stairs. But he reckoned without the dark- skinned, hard-headed man who had been out of the combat so long. ‘The latter rolled over at an inopportune moment for Delroy, vaguely sensed the new conditions, and caught his leg in an inextricable grip. Taken utterly unawares, Delroy reeled and fell heavily, crying out and struggling fiercely, and holding tenaciously to the packet. But the stranger was more than a match for him; a laboring man, evi- 5 A THE HEIGHTS. 65 dently, with stout limbs and whipcord muscles. In a moment he had Delroy sub- -dued and was sitting on his chest, and in another moment he had twisted the coveted packet from his hand. A step sounded on the stair, and both men stopped, panting for breath, and lis- tened. Some one was hurrying to the room and as they waited there came the sound of yet another arrival. “Beat it!” cried a thick, angry voice; “What yer doing here? Get out!” Some one leaped half way up the stairs, there was a sharp, desperate scuffle, and then a body bumped down the steps and thudded at the bottom. A man darted into the room. Delroy, terrified and defeated, turned his head by a frantic effort and looked. The man was young Foxford, and he stood blinking in amazement at the extraordinary scene. “Hello, Delroy!” he exclaimed sudden- ly; “how are you? You don’t look happy!” Exmoor, drifting back to consciousness,. stirred and raised his head. Foxford saw him for the first time. “The devil!” he cried. “‘What’s this?” He glanced in fresh bewilderment at the dark-skinned man and at the fallen Kingsdale, then caught up a chair and turned upon Delroy’s captor. ‘“What’s that in your hand?” he de- manded, sighting the packet. There was a barely audible sound be- hind him, and he whipped around and saw Harry, the Delroy chauffeur, creep- ing upon him. Swinging the chair over his shoulder, he backed away, and Delroy and the dark man, suddenly uniting against a common enemy, sprang up and attacked him from the rear. “Hands up—everybody!”’ came a com- mand, in a shrill, strained voice, and they turned sharply and saw Kingsale sitting up and brandishing a revolver. The chauffeur, in his maneuvers against Foxford, had drawn near the shelf on which the flickering lamp rested. “The light, Harry!” yelled Delroy. ‘The chauffeur caught the inspiration in- stantly. In defiance of the threatening COPMICLOOKS “Drop it!” ’ (E)