The Argosy, April 1916 — page 174: what you’re looking at

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

164 room and under it, then touch it off. No one is here; no alarm is given. The girl will be a crisp even before the firemen get here. Who can say she was murdered? “Who,” Apponnetti, smiling, touched the man on the shoulder, ‘‘will even know who she is? Will they not say it was a servant who died? The Ambassador will testify that he had a female servant from his own country here. What could be simpler? Come, my man, dismiss your base suspicion of me. How can this girl be identified?” ‘The servants, one of them, anyway, saw me with the girl. I saw him looking through the door as I carried her up-stairs. She will be missed. Nealis will trace her to this house. I am the goat I tell you. You can’t stall me.” Slevin raised his fist, a ponderous thing, and shook it at the ~ count. ‘You’re never sure about these fires, anyway. How do you know she can’t be identified?” “Twenty-five thousand,” persisted Ap- ponnetti. ‘‘You’d better take it, and then if you hold on to it, this will be your last big job.” “T’ve done my last big job for you, Ap- ponnetti. Now I’m going up-stairs to shake up that girl, and when I come down you are to be out of the house—out! Do you get me?”’ “No. I shan’t do it,” was the quiet re- ply. “I am not in the mood for humoring the whim of a crazy man.” “Vou’ll humor this whim,” snarled Slevin. ‘Now then, get out of that doorway, for I am going up-stairs.” A sudden flashing movement of Appon- netti’s hand caught his eye, and he saw a bluish gleam. With an oath his hand flew to his own pocket, but before it was well settled there the room was filled with a loud report and became acrid with smoke. A cry broke from Slevin’s lips and he stood like a statue. Then suddenly his own hand shot out and the weapon it held spat forth its lance-like line of flame. This done, Slevin crumpled and fell to the floor. CHAPTER XIX. AT THE BEHEST OF CONSCIENCE. EANTIME the Nealis household was in a ferment of excitement. Griscom, as he had promised, betook himself to the bank and was closeted with Lansing. “The only thing you can do,” he advised, THE ARGOSY. “is to await developments. Our men are everywhere. I do not see how anything can possibly slip through the net. Between here and Providence in every direction we have nearly a hundred men. If Miss Gran- ger is going to be slipped out of Newport she will surely run into some of them. I might tell you that Clarkin was captured hardly a half hour ago. That only shows how closely we are pulling in the strings.” “But,” protested Lansing, “it is unendur- able to sit here and paw the air, thinking of all sorts of horrible things and not be able to think of anything to do to help her. I love that girl, Griscom; she is more than my life. I want her. I feel like pulling up all of Newport to get her.”’ “But you can’t do that, you know,” re- plied the detective, who had his own rea- sons for being sympathetic, reasons, of course, which he took care not to hint to the young man. “Here is your headquar- ters. Miss Granger, if she gets a chance, will make this the first place of communi- cation. You want to be where you'll know the soonest about her. All my men know you are here, and have been instructed to give you the first cheering news, or any sort of news concerning the young lady that they obtain. I should counsel you to fol- low my suggestion; for I am experienced in these matters.” “Well,” sighed Lansing, “I suppose you are right. Oh, I’d give about all I’m worth to have my hands on that Apponnetti at this minute.” ‘Perhaps you'll have that pleasure with- out paying a cent.” Griscom slapped him on the back. “Come, now, my boy, a nine is never licked until the last out. Things have broken badly for you of late, but you’ve had your share of luck, and you may have some more coming. You hang around here and let us do the chasing.” “All right,” agreed Lansing. “You know best. But, Griscom,” and he placed his hand upon the secret service agent’s shoul- der, “for Heaven’s sake get action on this, won’t you?” “I will,” Griscom replied, smiling encour- agingly and taking up his hat. ‘And I’m going to take a little jump in the automo- bile now to a certain place. I’ll be out of touch with events here for that time. When I return Ill come straight here and let you know how things are progressing.”’ “You mean you hope to find her where—’’ Lansing’s voice broke. comicloook C@