Argosy All-Story Weekly, May 3, 1924 — page 54: what you’re looking at

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

844 accepting the ungarbled truth. And they were trying to seduce him into what they fully believed would prove the betrayal of a comrade’s trust. The thing had a nasty look to Eddie’s mind. It flicked him to a wholly needless avowal—a refutation of the implied smirch on his nature: ‘ And even if I was the sort of man you imagine, Mr. Marvin, I wouldn’t sell out a man with whom I was working. I—wouldn’t peach.” Then, as he broke off, he hardly knew why—-perhaps because of that little gasp she had given at Marvin’s proposition— he glanced at Miss Elton. It seemed to him that he surprised both trouble and admiration in her eyes—as though mentally she at the same time condemned and ap- plauded his words. And, as Salles and Marvin exchanged an- other glance of apparent understanding, she made her way into the conversation. ‘“ As Mr. Harmon’s attorney, it occurs to me, Captain Salles, that neither the state nor city has more than a concurrent juris- diction in this matter and that you can scarcely hold him any longer unless the government wishes to file a charge.” Salles eyed her. “‘ You are his attorney?” “Ves, And I am fully convinced of his innocence of any connection with this affair, beyond what he admits.” Harmon blessed her in his heart—this little Portia he had so oddly chosen, with her wavy brown hair, and the firm little jaw now set in determined fashion, and the straight little nose, and the steady violet eyes. She was with him, believed in him. It steadied him some way as Salles once more addressed him. “So you never saw Blumefeldt in your life?” “Not unless he was the man who-ran up to me this afternoon, as I’ve told you.” “ Know Murgson or Irak or Welter?” “JT do not.” ‘“* Well,” Marvin said on the heels of that “positive denial, ‘‘ we can see if they know him.” Salles nodded. He pressed the button of a buzzer. When an orderly answered the summons, he nodded again and the orderly disappeared. Eddie set his teeth. It was all arranged. ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY, It had all been planned before he was brought to this room. Third degree meth- ods. That’s what it was. It filled him with a fresh resentment. “What do you expect them to do,” he questioned from a quickly flaring impulse; ‘ fall on my neck and weep?” Marvin jerked chill-blue eyes toward him. ‘ The point is that they don’t know you're here,” he said. Mildred Elton put out a hand and laid it on Eddie’s arm. He nodded and set his jaws. If Portia didn’t want him to talk, he vowed he would keep silent. It was enough to make a man froth over, but her fingers could chain his tongue if she didn’t want him to speak. So he ground his teeth together and scowled back at Marvin until the door was once more thrust open, to admit a large florid man, a middle-sized man and a still smaller specimen of man- hood with a shrewd little wrinkled face. Eddie viewed their advent still in silence, conscious that Salles and Marvin were in- tently watching both himself and the other men. ** Messrs. Murgson, Irak and Welter,” Salles announced, jerking his hand in Har- mon’s direction, ‘‘ I sent for you to tell me who this man is.” Three pairs of eyes fastened themselves on Eddie. But it was the large florid man who answered: ‘‘ I never was good at rid- dies myself, cap,’ he suggested as he settled himself in a chair. ‘Did you ever see him?” Salles’ tones were snappy. Save for a series of glances passing between the newcomers—glances that might be of curiosity, noncomprehen- sion, caution, or all three, it began to look as though he had failed in his endeavor to cbtain any evidence of recognition between Harmon and the trio through surprise. ‘Nope. An’ he ain’t much to look at, is he?” the florid man replied. ‘““Ever hear Blumefeldt speak of Ed Harmon?” ‘* Blumefeldt?” said the large man and paused. Once more he stared at Eddie,and once more he shook his head. “‘ Nope. This him? Well, what’s the large idea? You got a notion you've pinched one of Carl’s pals?” He was quick, was the large man, to size COmmiclool (©