Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 124, No. 2 — page 137: what you’re looking at

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

THREE DAYS OF IT. 319 ment, please! I think we agree on that, and we will agree that an empty stomach is not on the list as one of life’s pleasures. You ‘now have a sketchy outline of my cir- cumstances.” Though I was vexed at the man for com- ing to me I could not help noticing. his uncommon use of language and his general refinement of bearing. ‘‘ What is your name, sir?’”’ I demanded. “ Mr. Percy Dare, havén’t a card handy.” “You are well named,” I returned, be- coming angry at the fellow’s easy impu- dence. ‘“ The purser is the one who will attend to your case.” ‘* Quite right, doctor. -I expect to see the purser almost at once. Ah! Were you go- . ing to call the steward?” _ “Yes,” I said; for I was about to push the electric button in the bulkhead. “Don’t do it, doctor — for your own sake.”’ | “What in the devil do you mean, sir?”’ I demanded. ‘“ Who are you? You cer- tainly are not what you seem to be.” — “Neither -are you,” he replied, with a smile that showed his fine teeth. ' The deuce of a man’s conscience is that it is forever at his elbow. I think I must have turned pale. -“ There, doctor—there!’’ he went on, in a soothing tone. ‘“ You have no reason to be alarmed; your secret is safe in this re- pository.” He struck his chest lightly. “No, doctor—no! I wouldn’t,” he added, as I stepped toward the door, for my first impulse was to see Durand. ‘“ It would be the height of folly, doctor. The captain would be ruined, your friend Dr. Savidge would be ruined, and the law deals some- what sternly with a layman posing as a physician. You wouldn’t have the truth ex- posed—now, would you?” _ I halted as abruptly as if -I had run against a stone wall, and looked aghast at my easy, softly speaking visitor. ‘“ How— how did you know?” I gasped. ‘* Of that, later,” he replied blandly. “‘ At present my necessities are of prevailing im- portance. With one hundred dollars I could pay my passage, have a trifle left for work- ing capital, and acquire quarters more be- doctor. Sorry I cetera of a gentleman’s toilet. fitting my station than a coal-bunker. The sum involved is trivial to one of your wealth, doctor.” He accentuated the title. “Tl give you the money if you will hold your tongue.” ‘““Am I ever indiscreet, doctor? No. A friend is a friend, unless he betrays me. But, beyond the money, doctor—you would hardly have me appear before the purser in my present habiliments. It might cause awkward questions, and more than likely bring out a fact you would not care to have exposed. You have clothing to spare. We are about of a size. The loan of a razor, a clean shirt, collars, a necktie, and the ef Eh?” I groaned inwardly, if not aloud. ‘ You have nerve, sir!” I broke out. | ‘‘No, doctor; not nerve. Poise is the proper word—poise—always an attribute of the refined! Have I been brutal? No— only mildly argumentative and, I trust, con- vincing. I might have placed my knowl- edge at a,much higher figure, but I am nothing if not considerate.” ~ “ You are a damned rascal!” I exclaimed. “You have got me down. Have your way. I only wish to know how you discovered the—”’ ‘Facts? Quite so, doctor. You have consented to do me a favor; perhaps I will reciprocate later. Am I plain?”’ “You are too damned plain!” I blurted out. “ For God’s sake get into what you need and then vamoose.”’ But he was in no hurry. When I opened my trunk he chose a light suit of checks, a fine silk shirt, three collars, an expensive necktie, a gold scarf-pin, and a pair of white sneakers. Then, without asking my con- sent, but with a profusion of elegantly worded apologies, he proceeded to make his toilet, even using my best razor, while I sat looking on, not daring to leave him alone and not daring to protest. At length he stood before me completely metamorphosed, and was really a fine-look- ing man of about thirty-six, his face adorned with a dainty mustache and imperial; and he possessed the easy carriage of one who was in the -habit of being well dressed. Opening my hat-box, he selected a silk lounging cap to match the suit, and put it COUMIUC AOOLK (CO wo