Argosy All-Story Weekly, March 15, 1924 — page 21: what you’re looking at

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

THE CONFIDENCE MAN..- delivery.”’ grin. Noylan, who was to accompany Grimshaw, acknowledged these instructions with a nod, and then took the package which Corvan handed to him. ‘You give that to Grimshaw when it’s landed,’’ Corvan said. And he drove back to the gambling den with Welsh, who sat silent at the wheel in resentful contempla- tion of the ruin which he felt that Corvan had brought upon him. In the morning Corvan called Wade on the telephone. He explained the situation hurriedly. ‘“ So I'll have to lay low for a while. 1 -use your country refuge after all. You ‘say it was East Harbor, Long Island? All right. I’m motoring down to-day. But just for a month. One month’s holiday, Wade. . And, by the way, thanks for your foresight. Good-by.” He hung up the recelv_t. | CHAPTER Ul. THE COURT FOOL. a the cool living room of a spacious old | country mansion a young man sat read- ing a detective story. Snake Maddox liked detective stories; they were so excit- ing. The inevitable arrest of the villain was invariably thrilling to this promising young crook. Maddox was a slight young man, dressed modestly in the neat clothing of the upper clerical class. A comfortably situated young accountant, one would guess from his clothing, and, from his well formed face, one would have added the guess that he was probably a member of the Y. M, C. A. It was a grave face. This particular morning, Snake Maddox appeared to be. preoccupied. He read his story-nervously, and constantly looked up from the. classic mahogany sofa in which he was. seated to consult the grandfather’s clock beside the expansive fireplace. Snake Maddox was expecting the arrival of the ‘Great Corvan at the Humphrey Place, and he was hoping that Corvan would arrive betore luncheon. This last he said with an evil “man. 649 Snake Maddox had few aversions, but he despised a squealer, loathed country places, and hated waiting for his-meals, He could with reluctance reconcile himself to one of these antipathies, but, as the clock tolled its way through the morning, it appeared as though he were to be called upon this day to endure two. So Snake Maddox was nervous at his reading. But luck was with him. Even as the clock chimed the approach of a midday meal, which Mrs. Bland always had ready on the minute, the whine of oversized tires on the gravel outside announced the ar- rival of the long, blue motor car, which bore the Great Corvan to his manorial es- tate. Snake Maddox slapped his book down upon a gate-legged table, and slid through the broad archway that connectéd the living room with the lofty hall, just as Mrs. Bland opened the door and admitted Corvan to the house. Corvan won Mrs. Bland at once with his princely bearing and kindly manner. She gathered that he felt a real pleasure in making her acquaintance. A true gentle- man, she decided. “ And this is Maddox?” asked’ the Great . -Corvan. It was an introduction. “Sure, Maddox,” murmured the Snake. He felt a certain restraint m the presence of the housekeeper. “ You can leave. Mr. Corvan to. me, ma’am,” he informed her, stiffly. And she was anxious encugh to re- turn to her kitchen, to act upon his sugges- tion without questioning ‘the restraint. Both the men were relieved by her exit. Maddox took Corvan’s light overcoat as he doffed it, and placed it, with Corvan’s hat, upon the rack. “So you’re Snake Maddox?” smiled the confidence man. “The same,” said Maddox, who was himself again. ‘“ Lemme give you a card.” He slipped a pasteboard into Corvan’s hand. . ~ “Tyaniel G. Corvan,” read the confidence “ But this is my own card.” “Perhaps you’d like the case?” offered Maddox, and produced Corvan’s card case, too. Corvan appraised the youngster with a narrow gaze. CONMUC NOOLKS CO