The Argosy, Vol. 83 No. 1 — page 78: what you’re looking at

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

68 and applied the brake, and the vehicle creaked, strained and slowed gradually to a stop at the beginning of another upward Swoop. “Now, you’ve got to jump!” he said softly but firmly, and before Delroy could utter the objections that rushed to his lips, he had him through the railing, and dropped with him ten feet into weeds and shrubbery which tore and scratched, but did not break bones. They had been scorching over the crazy railway for perhaps three minutes, and it ‘seemed ridiculous in view of their predica- ment, but they had traversed a difficult area and landed near the Speedway, which they might not have reached at all if they had trusted to the dark and dangerous path with its rocks and unknown pitfalls. Delroy had ceased to groan and protest. It appeared that he scarcely regarded him- self any longer as of this world. He obeyed his guide’s every command dumbly as they sped through the shrubbery, and Jerry was whimsically amused to see that his lameness was forgotten. The police had heard the rattle of the car on the wooden rails and were evidently mystified. Their light was now bobbing about and throwing shadows among the skeleton ribs and braces of the structure, and they seemed in no desperate hurry to find the trail of the fugitives or to follow it. “The Speedway to Dyckman Street!”’ Jerry gasped in the other’s ear, ‘and then the open lots toward the river! We can shake them off there, if they follow us.” Running as noiselessly as they could manage, they found a winding road and took it thankfully; but as they neared the main avenue a locked gate barred the way. Jerry seized Delroy in his arms and swung him over the barrier, then leaped after him and ran him down the grassy slope to the Speedway. , The great sweeping boulevard, lighted at intervals, was as desolate as the Arizona desert, and the two men ran without fear of hindrance, keeping to the- sidewalk, which was for the most part in the deep shadow of the thickly wooded hill. THE ARGOSY. “Ev—ryone—got away!” panted Del- roy, showing symptoms of returning spirit. “We are getting away,” Jerry corrected; “it’s not time to boast about it yet.” ‘““Th—think—they’ll keep—after us?” “Don’t try to talk,” said Jerry; “‘you’ve no breath to spare. I don’t think they are trying very hard. Fights around that sec- tion are no very uncommon thing. They’ll give it up, probably, and be glad to get rid of the trouble.” Suddenly he grasped Delroy’s arm and stopped him. Delroy, startled, opened his mouth to speak, but Jerry gave him a warning shake and pointed to a park bench in the shadow beside the walk. Delroy leaned forward and peered anx- iously at the spot, and as Jerry took a step ahead a man sprang up from behind the bench and started running across the boulevard. At the curb his toe was caught by an unseen obstacle and he measured his length in the soft gravel. Before Jerry could anticipate such a movement, Delroy, with astonishing spirit, flung himself forward and landed on top of the fellow. “Tt’s Foxford!” he cried excitedly; “T’ve got him!” But Foxford was of a different mind. In spite of Delroy’s weight upon him, holding him prone for an instant, he writhed into a position from which he could grapple with the older man, and at once the unfinished battle of the dark house was resumed by two of the former participants. Hampton was amazed and indignant, but still he could not resist the farcical appeal of the situation. It was highly suggestive of one of the old slap-stick pantomimes—this long series of ‘‘alarums and excursions” in which every man seemed to go at fisticuffs with almost any one within reach. He made sure that no policemen or other stranger was in sight, then stood near the rough-and-tumble and became a_ silent witness. Delroy had brought it on him- self, and Jerry was not disposed to in- terfere. COPMICLOOOKS (C©)