Argosy, Vol. 122, No. 1 — page 85: what you’re looking at

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

FINDINGS IS KEEPINGS. evening. And that expression of evil might not have been altogether brought to the sur- face by the criminal lawyer’s enmity. The policeman stood, hesitating, with his hand at his breast. The girl seemed to have forgotten that she had obtained the envelope for which she had risked her life in climb- ing to the studio. ‘Should he tell her that, when she had fainted and dropped the will, he had secured it? | Seconds only he wasted in this indecision. His caution told him two things: This was no place nor time for an explanation: -and something more than curiosity urged him to examine this “ last will and testament ”’ of the dead Colonel Maywell before he gave it up to anybody. If the dead man had been so fond of making wills, this docu- ment might even be a fourth one! “We would better get down to the street, Miss Maywell,” was all Vale finally said. “We will find an unlocked scuttle per- haps.”’ ‘“Oh, dear!”’ she murmured, giving him again her attention. ‘‘ There will be a lot of talk about this. People will have to know, if we go down through their house to the street.”’ “Tl try to fix it so that there will be no inquiry to disturb you, Miss May-well. Just wind that veil about your face so that whoever you meet will not recognize you.”’ “You will get into trouble with your superiors,” she exclaimed. ‘“ Hope not. We’ll try it, anyway,” he rejoined with one of his friendly grins that had already disarmed her. ‘* But—but you should be commended for this. You deserve a medal—or something,” and she flashed him a smile in return. “Isn’t that the way they do in the depart- ment? I-saw the Commissioner pin medals for saving lives on several policemen at the parade last May. And you certainly did save mine, Mr. Vale.” “Why! This doesn’t count as a rescue,” he assured her. “I had to save myself, and just brought you along with me.” She smiled again as he. led her with a hand cupping her elbow across the roof of this first house next to the studio building. That particular roof seemed to have no scuttle. But the second roof, which was 15 on a level with the first, had a clothes-dry- ing platform and a covered stair-entrance. But the heavy door was bolted, and the tattoo Vale beat with his stick upon it brought no response. All. the people in this house had possibly descended into the street in fear of the fire. The fire must now be under control; but the squealing of the engines for water, the tearing “ swish ”’ of the great hose-streams, the shouts of the firemen, and the whir of the flames—like no other sound—made an almost deafening clamor. Vale and Allaine had to raise their voices to make each other hear. ‘It may be that we will have no better luck on any of these roofs,” he said to her. “Guess we might as well break in here.” . ‘But that is burglary!’’ Allaine cried half fearfully. | “Sure, what’s a little burglary between friends?” he demanded with a grin and drew his service automatic from his hip. “Oh! A gun?” she gasped. ‘‘ Stand over there at one side, Miss May- well. I’ve got to shoot out this lock and a flying bit of metal, or a rebounding bullet might do you some harm.” He pointed to the position he wished her to take. He stood some feet from the door himself, and at an angle, when he pressed the trigger of his gun. Three bullets in stacatto time shatteréd the lock and the woodwork about it. He pressed in the end of his nightstick and forced the door open. It swung creakingly on its hinges. ‘ Here we are,” said Vale, putting away his gun. “I suppose this may have to be explained.” . “Then they will get my name? And in the papers?” “Tl try to get you out and through the lines without anybody stopping you,” Vale said cheerfully. “‘ You haven’t told me your name, and you can slip away before I spring my little note-book on you.” ‘““T am afraid,” she rejoined with more seriousness, “that you are going to take chances with your record for my sake.” “That is all right if I can put it over on old Buffalo.” ) “On whom?” cComiclbooks.com