Argosy, Vol. 117, No. 2 — page 146: what you’re looking at

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

296 out. “Ill bust your face wide open if you do. Yon tried to murder me, you kidnaped a girl, and now you're doin’ your friends dirt. But I understand you.” “Are you goin’ to let me-go, Mr. Dono- van? I’ve told you everything.” Jerry looked into the pasty face and the terror-stricken eyes. : ‘“God must have some special purpose in puttin’ men like you on this earth,” he _ said, “but I don’t know what the purpose is. Get back to the table and stay there be- fore I smash you!” The man went back to the table. “You better take their guns away from them, Jim,”’ Jerry said over his shoulder. Dayton moved forward to follow the sug- gestion. Jerry unlocked the door and stepped into the room. Mamie rose from one of the chairs and sprang into his arms. Her lips clung to his and her arms held him. Jerry knew the measure of her love then as he had never known it before. ‘How’d it happen, honey?” he asked after a moment. “One of those men came to the window and pointed a revolver at me,” she an- swered. ‘‘ He made me open the door, and then the other two pinioned my arms and made me go with them to the carriage. They said they would shoot me if I made a sound. How did you get here, Jerry?” Jerry explained. Mamie gazed into his eyes. “I love you, Jerry,” she said. “‘ And some day, somehow, I’ll marry you.”’ “The way things is breakin’ you better be doin’ that pretty quick,” Jerry said. “You can’t go back to the station.” “T must,’”’ Mamie said. “And be stolen away again?”’ “Tl be careful, watchful,” Mamie said. “T won’t let them take me unawares next time. Besides, those men won’t have a chance again, will they?” ‘‘ Others will,” Jerry said. Jensen is back of all this, Mamie—Jensen and Manners.” “Oh, that’s impossible,” Mamie cried. “Manners wouldn’t consent to that. I— he—he’s—”’ Jerry held his breath, awaiting a dis- closure, but she would go no further. He knew that it was useless to press her. “Marry me,” he said with a hint of THE ARGOSY. stubbornness in his tone. ‘“‘ Then you won’t have to work. I have no job now, but jobs are easy things to get. I have upwards of a thousand dollars in the bank up-town.”’ ‘“T can’t marry you now, Jerry,” Mamie declared. ‘“ Let me lend you some money, then.” “TI can’t do that, either. I must go back to work. I must go there now, Jerry. I hadn’t time to tell the despatcher I was leaving, of course.”’ ‘Wait here a minute and I’ll go with you,” Jerry said heavily. He went into the other room, closing the door behind him. He called Dayton to one s:de, excusing himself to Pat, and leaving Pat to keep the men covered. ‘“ Jensen is coming here soon,” Jerry said. “This fellow says his nerves are on the raw. We got to throw a scare into him. The more nervous he gets the more likely he will be to make some kind of a break. I can’t have him arrested just yet. Some time [ll explain why, Jim.” ‘Yeh, put your explanations on ice so’s they won’t spoil,” Dayton scoffed. ‘‘ What in hell do I care about explanations? I’m havin’ a first-rate time—what d’ye want dene with that dirty Swede?”’ “Tl take Miss McBride away,” Jerry said. ‘‘ You get these fellows lined up so that you can keep them covered. I don’t want Jensen to see you. These fellows are a chicken-hearted bunch, anyhow. You can tell them that they can make their getaway to the nearest freight-train if they do what you say while Jensen is here. Make them unlock the door for Jensen, leavin’ him to believe the girl is in there. Don’t let them give him any explanation. His nerves will have another load to bear while he wonders how a girl escaped from a locked and barred room. This here fellow says things is comin’ to one of them climaxes with Jensen. If he’s more nervous than he is now, he’ll drink his head off. The more fuddled he is the more likely he’ll be to stub-his toe.” ‘I see,’”? said Dayton. ‘‘ Where are you takin’ Miss McBride, as you are now pleased to designate her, though I’ve called her Mamie for more years than you’ve knowed her.” Go .OOK (C@)