Argosy, Vol. 85, No. 3 — page 46: what you’re looking at

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

388 that was upon him Hemmett recognized the razor-edged quality of the tone. “I am a patient man, you know. I have tried to be very reasonable and liberal with you, Hemmett, and with Girton, and it was really quite useless. Are you calmer now? Can you listen quietly to a little proposition, do you think?” “What?” “There! That sounds much better!” Mr. Jones assured him. ‘ The propo- sition is this, Mr. Hemmett: We wish you to leave the country—you and yours. Really we do, and it’s. no reflection at all upon yourselves. We wish it—do you understand ?—and what we wish we have, as a rule. ‘““Now, the very pleasant and satis- factory way to conclude this matter—the very obliging way, so far as I am con- cerned, it seems to me, would be for you and Mr. Girton and Mr. Barton and the several ladies concerned to leave Guanama this evening on a yacht which I shall provide, and which will take you to the Isthmus and leave you there.” ¢ Jones, I—” ‘“‘ Oh, please!” the voice said playfully. “Tl go farther! Ill have a man aboard who will hand you every penny of the splendid sum I promised, Hemmett—who will even take your signature to the con- tracts which I mentioned, providing handsomely for your next ten years. As man to man, I ask you if any one could do more? If any one who has been treated as you have treated me would do as much? Do you accept?” “No!” roared Hemmett. ‘“ And—”’ “Then listen, and don’t waste your breath yelling, because you'll need it all for weeping,” Mr. Jones pursued; and the change in his voice was as remarkable as had been the change in his expression during their interview. “You’re an ass—a poor, stubborn, half-witted dolt, Hemmett. A man tries to treat you white, and you bawl and bellow at him and—let it go at that. You're going to be out of this country before day after to-morrow, all three of THE ARGOSY. you. And, believe me, Hemmett, if you're not you will receive, each of you, the right ear of the lady in whom he is most interested! . “On the morning after that you will receive each the left ear of the same lady! And after that, Mr. Hemmett—oh, they’re beautiful, two of them at any rate. Give your imagination full rein; it will not overstep the probabilites, believe me!”’ The words ended in a ripple of sinister laughter. Choking, numb, and icy from head to foot, unable to part his dry, hard lips, Edward Hemmett for the moment could not believe that he heard aright. ‘“‘So that is really the situation, and if you doubt it so much the worse for your- selves and your respective ladies,” the voice went on easily. ‘‘ You’ve lost your chance at the money now, poor fool; I still give you the chance to save the women. Do you leave this evening or do you not? You have just one minute in which to answer.” And here the lips parted. . ‘“‘ Jones!” cried Mr. Hemmett. “ As sure as there’s a God above us, I swear to you that if I pay for it with my life ig | He ended in a sudden gasp. He jerked the receiver-hook up and down. “ Get that connection again, operator! Get that wire again!” A minute passed—and another and another. The diaphragm rattled faintly, and Hemmett hung up the receiver with trembling hand. ““He’s gone!” he whispered. ‘‘ That was Jones, and he has them! And he said that unless we get out of the coun- try to-night, Carmen—and Mercedes—”’ He could not continue, nor would Barton let him; Barton, on his feet, was shouting: “Then we'll give him what he wants! We'll go, man! We'll all go and—tell him that, Hemmett!”’ ‘“T’m afraid it’s too late now,” Hem- mett managed. “ We’ll stay, Barton, and I promise you that, if they don’t kill me MICLOOOK C©