The Argosy, Vol. 84 No. 1 — page 44: what you’re looking at

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

34 had failed, discarding the routine and going to lengths of his own, and very fre- quently with success. There are more ways than one of saving patients; there are more ways of leaving a house than dynamiting out the front wall. Although as yet he had not a remote idea of just how this house was to be left behind, Dr. Jim smiled pensive confidence as he strolled across the room and exam- ined a dusty little picture. A minute or more he studied it, whistling softly; then he turned from the print because the idea —however risky and far-fetched, un- doubtedly the only possible idea with the odds three against one—had arrived! It was a melodramatic idea, with a su- perb chance of failure; if it fell flat he would have to conjure up another scheme, but the tools of this one were too handy to be neglected. Dr. Bowen moved over to the basin and turned on the water; mud and rust spurted for a little and then the clear fluid appeared. And now he would have to see. He reached into his back pocket for the black case that had lived there twelve years or more, and for a little while only gentle humming and the sound of running water came from the nook that held the basin. One slim little vial of pellets he emptied into his right hand and thence into the cash-pocket of his coat. He tapped his vest-pocket and found another little black case. “What are you doing?” the girl asked. “Just monkeying With a hypodermic,” Dr. Jim smiled over his shoulder. “J don’t want drugs!” “You're not going to get any from me, child,” the physician assured her, turning off the water and stepping toward the door with one hand partly closed. ‘‘ Now, you are to sit here and wait and don’t be frightened if—er—you hear a little noise!”’ “T shall not be frightened,” the girl said dully. _ It was evident that he had selected the THE ARGOSY. right moment for leaving the room. The sleepless butler of the tenantless house was just coming up-stairs again, and he paused and looked sharply at Dr. Jim after the first glance at his face. A little child could have seen that Dr, Jim’s spirit had been chastened by the discovery down-stairs; he regarded the butler with a smile that was rueful and rather scared, and he asked: ‘““T didn’t—hurt you much, did I?” “You nearly killed. me, sir—that was all.” “T’m sorry,” sighed Dr. Bowen. “T didn’t know that things were quite as complicated and mysterious in this house as they seem to be. What does it all mean, anyway?” ‘“T offered to tell you once, sir,” said the butler. ‘““T didn’t appreciate the offer then; I do now,” the visitor smiled forlornly. “Tf it is still good, I’d like to know what under the sun I’m up against.” Somebody’s servant peered at him again and himself smiled faintly. ‘You'll have to come up to my room, sir,” he said. ‘I'll take no chance of being overheard by those other fellows down there.” . “Lead the way!” Dr. Bowen directed. The butler paused to look over the ban- ister rail and down-stairs; satisfied, he started up the next flight and Dr. Jim - tagged drearily behind. Up they went, and, walking to the rear, up once more to the half-story that was evidently ser- vants’ quarters. Into a little square room, with a few pieces of furniture and a le- gitimately made bed, somebody’s butler led Dr. Bowen—and the infinitesimal creak of the key being drawn from the lock came to the doctor’s ear, but brought no change in his smile as he turned on the light. The servant gazed at him quizzically. ‘Well, you see, sir,” he began hesita- tingly, “it’s like this. I don’t know that IT have all the particulars, but—” “Why, confound it all!” Dr. Bowen broke in, stepping forward suddenly and (EO) VOOKS AMG (C@)