The Argosy, Vol. 83 No. 1 — page 88: what you’re looking at

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

78 give me the lay of the land. Where are all the people just now?” Harry glanced uneasily at the door. “The two guys that came last,” he whispered, ‘‘are in the reception room at the front, hidin’ behind the curtains. Ex- moor, or whatever his name is—he’s sitting in the library back of the parlor, feeling all right.” ‘Who cried out when I rang the bell?” Delroy demanded. “T did,” said Harry simply; “I’m that nervous! ”’ “Is Miss Eugenia here?” Delroy asked huskily. “Ves, she’s in her own room,” was the answer. ‘She was kidnapped, I s’pose you know; but she ain’t takin’ it so hard. Ex- moor, he told her a few things about you, sir, that made her come along with us without very much trouble.” Jerry Hampton, peering down from the landing above, saw Delroy start and grow pale, but nothing more was said. Delroy motioned for Harry to return to the apart- -ment, and the chauffeur thereupon essayed a slight display of histrionic ability. Opening the door and stepping in, he affected a rough impatience. “No, I tell yer we don’t want to take ice from yer!” he growled. “We got an all-right ice man already. Beat it!” Jerry heard the latch click as he pressed the spring with his thumb, and a moment later the man slammed the door and went through the inner hall still grumbling about an imaginary ice man. Delroy waited for something like a min- ute, saying nothing; then he looked back and nodded at Jerry, and stole noiselessly into the apartment. Jerry was at the door the moment it closed again, listening with breathless sus- pense. Several minutes passed and noth- ing happened, and he pushed the door - open carefully, saw that the way was clear, and darted across the narrow hall and into a small closet. There he gathered about him sundry garments that were hanging from hooks, and drew the door to a narrow crack. THE ARGOSY.. He was scarcely settled. when a voice sounded resonantly across the hall. ‘Well, Exmoor,” said Milton Delroy, “the hunted has come to the hunter!” CHAPTER XXIII. THE ROUND-UP. f,XMOOR sprang out® of the chair, — where he sat reading, and uttered a Savage imprecation. ‘What sort of a trap is this, Delroy?” he cried. “That’s for me to find out,” returned Delroy; “I have walked into it, you see. We should have a battle-royal of all the animals presently, for you have two of an- other breed in your reception-room.”’ “What do you mean?” demanded Ex- moor, aghast. “I am alone here, except for my man servant, and—” “And my daughter,” Delroy inter- rupted, “and also your old friend King- sale and his hired thug.” “VYou’re mad, Delroy!” exclaimed Ex- moor. “Kingsale and his thug! Where ‘are they?” “In the reception-room—behind the curtains!” Delroy declared triumphantly. ‘No longer behind the curtains!” an- nounced Kingsale, in an even voice, and stepped into the room with a revolver held ready in his hand. ‘Mind you,” he added, sharply, ‘“‘I shall take any sudden movement as hostile, and I’m here for business.” The succession of surprises calmed Ex- moor. “How the devil did you all get into my . apartment without my knowing it?’ he asked. “By the kindness of Harry, the friend- in-need to all mankind,” Delroy answered dryly. “ *Twa’n’t my fault!” cried Harry, from the doorway. ‘I did the best I could, Mr. Exmoor, but they threatened to kill me.” “The pity is,” said Exmoor, “that they didn’t kill you first and threaten you af- terward.”’ EOPMICLOOOLX< (E@)