Argosy All-Story Weekly, March 15, 1924 — page 112: what you’re looking at

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

BIG GAME. Then there was a blinding, dazzling light. When the glare left his aching eyes and he could see. again, through the thick smoke he recognized Ralph Walters with a camera. “Ts it possible now?” demanded Marie Riggers triumphantly. She seated herself comfortably, drew a cigarette from her stocking, lighted it and smoked easily as she rocked back and forth. Forsythe sprang toward the camera, only to be stopped by something shiny in the hand of Walters. _ Then John Forsythe, at bay, bargained and into his bargaining put all his skill as a trader, addressing himself to Marie and ig- noring Walters as of n’) consequence. But she was unalterable in! her purpose, and at last he was driven to offer two thousand five hundred dollars payable in cash as soon as the bank opened the next day. Marie looked toward Walters, and he nodded, relief in his face. = - ~’ “Well, our little party is over,” smiled as Walters replaced the revolver in his pocket and gathered up the tripod of the camera. ‘“ A pleasant time was had by all— except little Johnny Forsythe, who paid dedr for one small kiss. Ralphie and Marie will now toddle along. and dream of the fortune to-morrow is going to ‘bring us. Nighty, night, generous little Johnny ' Forsythe.”’ She blew a kiss from the tips of her fingers. | “Long distance and free,” she exclaimed. “No,” answered Forsythe firmly. a You'll sit right here until to-morrow, un- less you want to leave that camera with me and I don’t think you do. Do you im- agine I’m fool enough to let you get out of here with that so you can develop the negative and make prints to hold over me for more. money after I pay you for the plate?- You’ve put one over on me, but youll deliver the goods.” . Walters looked at Marie and dropped into a chair. She seated -herself on the bed. While the long hours dragged. by monoto- nously the two obviously fought sleep. Throughout the night, whenever she or Wal- ters looked up, they met the stare of the wide open eyes of John Forsythe. Money was involved and he was not even drowsy. she T41. In his mind, as the hours stretched into centuries, he went over plan after plan to get possession of that black box with its damning contents, but nothing feasible pre- sented itself. Stronger than Walters, he could leap on him and wrest the camera from him, but, as Marie had said, any dis- turbance would bring the other roomers like a swarm of bees. What she had told him was true—he had seen it himself whenever the inevitable squabbles of married couples in furnished rooms reached the point where physical force replaced recriminations; the scream of a woman, no matter what the hour, was the signal for a running through halls and a gathering before a door. Exposure would be certain. He might be able to destroy the camera, but the frag- ments would remain—also Marie. Riggers © and he would not be able to explain her, especially as Walters would substantiate any story she might tell. He was caught help- lessly in a closely woven web and all that he could.do was to remain on watch and thus _ keep his two unwelcome guests from leaving the-room until they went with him. With that picture safely in his possession he would be free from the danger that had overpow- ered him. Nor would he be,a victim again. He would be on his guard continually. -The — lock on the door would be changed at once. He was a fool for not having done that be- fore—it was only a cheap affair that any _ key would turn. But he had never kept anything valuable enough in the room to justify the expense. He had never dreamed that his reputation was something that had to be guarded by bolts. Marie Riggers was the brains of this plot —damn her! That squirrel of a Walters did not have mentality enough to think it out in such detail. She wasa Clever woman. Why hadn’t he had the sense to make friends with her back in Unionville? Bug- gy rices—at Burchard’s prices—would have been cheap- compared to what he had to pay now. . Perhaps he could do something at the bank-—it would not be too late to wreck the plot then. The schemes that flitted through his head were rejected as wild and impos- sible. He was sick in his soul. Two thou- comilcloookks CO