The Argosy, April 1916 — page 164: what you’re looking at

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

154 hind the iron fence which bounds the - church on one of the corners. In the mid- dle distance a motor vehicle, which ap- peared to be a cab had halted, and one of the occupants was looking back. One of the two men who were approach- ing Nealis’s car was a burly ill-favored fel- low, but the other was cleaner cut and sug- gested what he soon claimed to be, a detec- tive. “So, Mr. Nealis,” he said, ‘“‘you have been burning up the asphalt again. You were warned here early in the summer. Now you are going to take a ride around to the station-house.”’ Nealis flushed guiltily for a moment and sat motionless watching the speaker, who had come to the side of the car, displaying a badge. It was not until Helen nudged him and spoke that the young man’s wits returned. “Vou were not going fast at all, Mr. Nealis,’’ she cried indignantly. “You were, in fact, driving with special care because, as you ‘said, you did not wish to shake me up.” Nealis exploded angrily. “That’s right, officer; that’s perfectly true. Why, I wasn’t going more than twelve miles an hour at any time. You must be crazy. What’s eating you, anyway?” “Nothing’s eating me,” the man replied doggedly, while the ill-favored person ranged alongside the car, opposite Nealis’s seat. ‘You're going to roll around for a little talk with the old man, that’s all.” “T am, eh!” cried Nealis savagely. ‘‘T’ll have you broke for this. I guess you don’t know who Iam. This is going just a little bit too far in the way of persecution of citizens.” “T know who you are all right,” the man retorted. ‘You heard me call you by your right name, I think. Now—no gore back talk. Climb in that rear seat, Jerry. Nealis, you get away from that wheel; I’ll run this car to the station. You are not going to have a chance to put any of your tricks over on me. Come on now, get out of there.”’ er A crowd had meantime gathered, and Helen pressed Nealis’s arm. “Let’s don’t have a scene, Mr. Nealis,” she pleaded. “I am really not yet up to one. Let him take us to the station-house and we’ll see if the captain has any more sense than this man appears to have.” “Sound words, lady,” grinned the puta- THE ARGOSY. tive detective. “Now climb out of there, Nealis, and be quick, or I’ll give you some- . thing to hurry you.” Nealis, quivering with rage, obeyed the command. “You great bully,” he shouted, “‘you have threatened me with violence! © Bear witness to that, Miss Granger. I'll make it my life- work to see how long you continue to brow- beat citizens driving peaceably along the public highway.” The man laughed disagreeably and mo- tioned Nealis to. hurry. As soon as the motorist had effected his transfer to the back seat the man who had been standing in the rear of the car jumped lightly to his side and the other, smiling reassuringly at the girl, told her not to worry. ‘You are not the one that broke the speed law,” he said. “But this fellow, we’ve been laying for him.” She turned away, not deigning to answer, for his manner had been offensive through- out. : The driver, meantime, had run the car up Pelham Street, and Helen noticed that as he did so the cab ahead turned, too, and retraced its course toward the corner. ‘“Where are you driving?” asked Nealis. “The police-station is down that way.” ‘So you know where the police-station is?”’ jibed the driver. ‘Well, you ought to; you have been hauled there often enough for breaking the laws.” “What I know is,” Nealis replied angrily, “that you are not going to the police- station.”’ ‘Not to the one you’re used to,” came the reply. ‘“There’s been a traffic bureau established out on Touro Street, to which I shall be delighted to introduce you. We'll have you there in two shakes.” But the car did not go far on Touro Street. In fact it was guided down by the city reservoir, with Easton’s Beach and the ocean lying beyond. “Are you crazy?” Nealis cried, beginning to shift excitedly in his seat. ‘What is all this story about a new traffic station?” “Shut up and you'll see. Don’t make such an infernal racket with your mouth. Jerry, if you hear another peep out of the prisoner hand him one that will keep him quiet.” A growl and a nod from the man at Nealis’s side, together with a menacing look from the gorilla face convinced the prisoner that any further words on his part would COmiclboo S (©