The Argosy, April 1916 — page 90: what you’re looking at

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

ing, but fell short and crashed down into the mass of wreckage below. CHAPTER II. THERE ARE TIMES — “‘TOHE dog it was that died,’” said a vaguely familiar voice, and added, apologetically: “I beg your pardon Mr. Pender; 1 fear that was a rather tact- fess remark, and the analogy was -absurdly far-fetched. There -was no ‘dog ‘in this -af- fair, unless it was the man who constructed that fatally unreliable shoring. I have ‘re- covered from the bite,’ fortunately, but my brave rescuer is apparently far from recov- Tom Pender, lying in a hospital cot, opened ‘his eyes dreamily and was fully conscious for the first time in some sixty hours. He-had heard all the man said, but the quotation was strange to him, ‘and such words as “‘tactless” and “analogy” were not ‘in ‘his vocabulary. He ‘felt so ill-and “all ‘in,’ however, that little things like puzzling speeches did not worry him. ‘He turned his ‘head slightly and saw ‘the speaker standing beside the bed. It was—yes, without a doubt, it was the elderly gentleman that ‘had so myste- riously purchased :a fine steak and thrown it away. “Hello,” murmured Tom ‘faintly, “how'd you iget here? How’s the feller I pulled out o’ the smash?” “That is the whole explanation of ‘how T got here,” answered ‘the visitor, and Tom decided ‘that he habitually talked in riddles. “Oh, all right,” said Tom; ‘‘let it go at that.” “Tt is evident,” went on the old gentle- man presently, “that you didn’t recognize me when you saved ‘me from ‘that frightful wreck. J.couldn’t find a cab, after leaving your shop, so I went over to Seventh Ave- nue and boarded that ill-fated car. It is no wonder you didn’t recognize me, for they tell me that I was pretty well disguised in my ‘battered condition. “T was more scared than hurt, however, and the doctors :at the hospital where they took me found that the removal of blood and mud ‘and dust was about all the surgical attention I needed. J have an ugly cut on my head, but it was more spectacular than serious. When I get over my soreness I shall ‘be little worse for the adventure.” THE ARGOSY. | “Let’s see!” muttered Tom, still vastly puzzled: “I sold you a steak, and then— D ’you mean to say you're the feller I walked the tight-rope with?”’ “The very same,” laughed the visitor cheerily. ‘From all accounts you did one of the nerviest things the witnesses of the affair ever beheld.” ‘““Um!” grunted Tom, evidently little in- terested by the man’s reference to his act of heroism. ‘“What’s your name?” ‘““My name,” answered the old gentleman slowly, ‘‘is Ellery Pender. “The coincidence of names is easily explained: I am Str great-uncle, and I live in Penderton, Massa- chusetts.” Tom’s eyes grew round with wonder. ‘“What de yer think o’ that, now!” he ex- claimed; “I pulled my own uncle outer the smash, an’ never knew it!” “‘T hope,” said the old man genially, “that you would have done it just as readily if you had known it. ‘““And now,” he went on presently, in a businesslike tone, “if you are able to listen, if not to talk much, I'll tell you what I came in for this afternoon. I was going back to Boston, and then home, ‘the day that out- rageous accident happened—It couldn’t have happened in Boston, mind you! but I fancy dlmost anything can in this city!” “Vou got it wrong, there!’ returned Tom, weakly, but belligerently. ‘I’ve lived here *mestall nry Tife, but I ‘been ‘to other places some, and—take it from me!—New York’s got every other place en the map o’ the world beat out in the semi-finals. New York is—”’ = “Please don’t agitate yourself,” broke in Mr. Ellery Pender. ‘I see you are a typi- cal New Yorker. I shouldn’t have digressed and disturbed your peace of mind. I was gomg to say that I mtended to return to Boston that day; in fact, it was important that I should do so; but I was unable to leave here even yesterday, and another day is almost gone. ‘“‘Now, I have to take an early evening train, so you-see I must introduce myself in one breath and take leave of you in the next. I won't attempt to thank you for— well, ‘you practically saved my life, you know, and did it very gallantly. I had al- ready planned to make a certain small ‘pro- vision for you in my ‘will, as my nephew, and I shall do so. TI shall also, in a few days, send you a present of one thousand dollars.” comiclboool ©