Argosy All-Story Weekly, June 27, 1925 — page 47: what you’re looking at

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

CROOKS WELCOME. 539 s This lady has fainted,” announced one kneeling stranger, addressing Monty. “ If you will lend a hand, sir, we can carry her into this office and revive her. The agent was just showing us through when he was ane downstairs. Just take one shoul- er.”’ Monty did so, using one hand while the other retained its hold on his treasure bag. This he set down, however, when he used both hands to help settle the girl in a broken old chair found in the office. ‘Tf you could get a glass of water,” suggested the man who had spoken first. “ You may be a tenant, or know some one who is.” “She doesn’t need it,” replied Monty. ‘‘ She's done her stuff.” “ Beat it, Belle,” snapped the other man, noting Monty’s undeceived expression. He and his man companion whipped out pistols and stepped between Monty and the door, which shut after the woman as she skipped out. With a ferocious scowl the spokesman warned: “ Not a sound out of you now, or we'll drill you. Stick ’em up.” N IV. THE two men held their weapons m a careless, familiar manner, and favored Monty with an assortment of hard looks. One man was pear-shaped as to head and body, having a flabby red face which had been misused by dissipation and human fists. His red nose had been inflated by drink and spread by some unfriendly blow. He wore a Panama and a loosely-fitting gray suit. His companion was tall, sunken-cheeked, and furred up with heavy black eyebrows and a mustache not much bigger. He had a hawk-like nose from the base of which several sets of deeply-etched lines put parentheses around his slit mouth. A motoring cap was pulled Jow over his craggy brows, and he wore a dark blue serge suit. “Tf those things are loaded, be with them,” ordered Monty, severely. “I like your act, but not well enough to pey anything for it if you go getting nervous 10 the forefinger.” “ Don’t you worry abeut us being ger- ean part,” growled the fat andit, un nly. “‘ You're goins all right.” y going to psy, “TY suppose you think Tm toting the heavy sugar,” jeered Craig. “ Why, you poor saps! I’ve been waitmg for you to pep up ever since you taxied after mé from my house.’”’ The two men exchanged fleeting, questionmg glances. “ You don’t suppose I'd carry that dough around in this suit case, do your” demanded Monty pityingly. ‘That was only the decoy to focus your attention while my side kick slipped out with the real package. You crooks lack imagination. Your only advantage is the element of surprise and the fear that the word ‘ crook’ carries. In this. instance, there’s no surprise. I’ve been waiting to see what new stuff you would pull—if any. As if a pair of morons like you—” “Get funny, guy, and we'll bump you off,”’ snarled the thin man. ‘“Now we've got you for robbery with intent to kill,” exulted Monty as though vastly pleased. The two crooks hesitated, glancing uneasily around and at their in- tended victim who refused to scare. ‘“ Make it worth a good stretch,” urged Monty. ‘“ What de you suppose this was advertised so loudly for, excepting to attract you buzzards here where you can be nabbed? ‘We could have nailed you when you showed up, but by catching you m the act of turning off this trick Here, take the valise. They’re waiting for you to walk out with it.” “Let's lam,” urged the pudgy man in alarm, edging toward the door. “ Kitber this is a trap or this bird is a nut. Lam out-a here quick—we been made a sucker of!” “The grip,” insisted the hawk-nosed an. “ Sure, take it,” urged Monty, eagerly. Too eagerly to suit the plump crook, whe motioned: restrainingly to his pal. “Don't touch it its 4 plant,” he warned, backing toward the door. “ hay of se. Can’t you see how anxious he is © get it op us? Lam while we can, And yeu, Connicloookks.com