The Argosy, Vol. 83 No. 1 — page 80: what you’re looking at

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70 “T didn’t see him again,” answered Del- roy dejectedly. ‘‘He must have got away, unless those devils laid him out, too. That’s it, Hampton!” he added excitedly: “they were waiting here, and they got him before they got me. You know what that means; they’ve got the packet now, and perhaps Foxford is at the bottom of the river.” : “It’s too much for me!”’ sighed Jerry, and sat down wearily on the end of the bench. “See, it’s growing light,” he re- marked, pointing to the sky over the Bronx shore. ‘You have made a long night of it, and a busy one! I can hardly figure how so many of you managed to come together at once. I was surprised, above all, when I saw your chauffeur tak- ing so active a part. I had an idea that he was not especially clever and that you had little confidence in him.” “T suppose I was a fool to ring him in!” Delroy muttered, “but he didn’t do so badly after all. I needed somebody to help me, and I could think of no one else for such a job, so I offered him a thousand dollars if he succeeded person- ally in getting back the packet that was stolen from my safe. From what I saw of him in the scrimmage, I guess he did his best.” “T think you’ll agree with me that your appearance is not very well suited to day- light,” said Jerry, “so, if you’re able now, we'll take the steps to the street and try to get a taxi.” Delroy nodded and got up. “T must say, on that subject, that your own face needs washing, and a change of clothing would improve your looks quite a bit,” he returned, with a rueful attempt at humor. “Yes, I think Ill go home now, and if you care to escort me there, Hampton, I shall be still further in your obligation.” He walked unsteadily and complained testily of his injured head, but Jerry sup- ported him and they slowly climbed the stone steps to the bridge and made their way guardedly to Amsterdam avenue without encountering any more observ- THE ARGOSY. ing citizens than a few chattering foreign laborers who were already marching to their work. At Audubon Avenue a drowsy police- man stood on the corner and contemplated their approach with a cynical eye. ‘You guys must ’a’ been havin’ a grand time,” he remarked. Jerry gave him a portentous wink. “They have real parties over in the Bronx,” he said, affecting the mock en- thusiasm of a blasé rounder. The patrolman sniffed disdainfully. ‘We'd ’a’ run yer in over here, before yer got very far,” he declared, with the typical assumption of Washington Heights superiority. At the cab stand on the St. Nicholas Avenue corner there was no taxi to be had at that hour of the morning, but presently one came speding around the corner, hav- ing doubtless left a late fare in the Fort Washington section, and Jerry sprang into the street and hailed it. The chauffeur smiled as Delroy was bundled,in, but Jerry offered no explanation of their appearance as he gave him directions. “Did you have your own car out last night?” Jerry inquired casually, as they were settled in the cab and running west to Broadway. “Yes, I did,” was the answer, given with some indifference. ‘I don’t know where Harry left it when he came to that shoot- ing gallery, but I suppose he got it again and is home with it by this time. He has a good pair of legs and he was going strong when I saw him leaving the build- ing.” “Tf he went home,” said Jerry anxious- ly, “I hope he didn’t wake Miss Delroy and report that you were missing. I sup- pose you will keep the night’s work dark.” “He wouldn’t give anything away,” Delroy said confidently. ‘Yes, I hope that almost everything can be kept dark; but I shall have to make excuses of some sort for the condition that I’m in, and I shall have to invent some means of per- suading Eugenia to pack and go away with me on an early train.” EOPMICLOOOLK< (E@)