Adventure Magazine Cover — page 62: what you’re looking at

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

818 my mental fitness—I might get the job. The chief told me I was big enough to hold it down. That’s as far as I’ve gone. Inter- esting, isn’t it?” “Youll get it. I am sure you will. There’s always a scrimmage here in New York, just the same as there was when you played football. And if you go in with your old courage and vim you will win.” “This is a harder game,” he said, looking out of the window. “You can’t tell,” she said quietly. The cab stopped presently at a corner. The chauffeur climbed down and opened the door nearest the curb. Keegles got out and stood beside the door, looking expectantly at Miss Hayden. She motioned him close, whispering. “That house where the oval light hangs over the doorway,” she said, pointing it out tohim. ‘ Youare to go nght in and walk up one flight of stairs. Turn to your left and knock on the first door that you see. You will find a man at home, for he is the only oc- cupant of the house, and you can see a light shining through the window-shade. —Tomake sure he is the right one you are to ask for Mr. Hartley. Give him this card, to show him that you can be trusted, and tell him to come to me. I shall be waiting for him on the next corner—south. If he asks any questions, tell him that you are to sleep in his bed to-night, and that he should not be suspicious, but should trust you implicitly. Tell him to hurry.” She hesitated. ‘‘And then——”’ said Keegles. “You will sleep there,’ she continued, “Just as though you belonged there. At three o’clock three men will enter your room. They will bind you and stand guard over you until six o’clock. They will not harm you. I shall return with Hartley at six- thirty—to reward you.” “‘T think I understand,” returned Keegles. “IT am impersonating some one—your friend. For some reason or other I am to be held until six.”” He smiled grimly. ‘Does any of these three men know Hartley?” “No,” she said positively. “The man who arranged to kidnap Mr. Hartley is his cousin. He is an engineer, or something, in the West, and only reached New York this afternoon. There isn’t time to tell you any more,” she said rapidly. ‘Go, now. You won't fail—I know you won’t. You always did things—and—and my happiness de- pends upon you!” Adventure As he stepped away from the cab he heard her whisper after him: ‘‘ The great Keegles!”’ He smiled, walking rapidly toward the house with the oval light. He remembered that she always was one of his most enthusi- astic admirers and had always persisted in calling him “‘the great Keegles.” She lived at home with her family, somewhere on Fifth Avenue—he could not remember where. He had reached the stone steps that led up to the door of the house; he climbed them, turned the knob and entered. A long, narrow hallway containing a flight of stairs opened before him. When he reached the upper landing he turned to the left as di- rected and felt along the hall fora door. He found it presently, and knocked loudly. Il crate, THERE was a scraping noise, as of a chair being pushed back, a turn of a key in the lock, and the door swung open, a glare of light blinding Keegles. While he stood blinking at a medium-sized man of about twenty-five, thelatterinquired: “Are you looking for some one?”’ “Ts you name Hartley?”’ queried Keegles. By this time his eyes had become accus- tomed to the light. He saw that the young man was clear-eyed, athletic and good-look- ing. He nodded affirmatively to Keegles’ question. ““She told me to give you this card and tell you that she would wait for you at the next corner—south.” He passed the card over, smiling. “Why ” began Hartley. “She also said,’ resumed Keegles, “‘that if you asked any questions, I should tell you that I am going to sleep in your bed to-night and that you should not be suspicious.” Hartley stepped back a little and cast a critical glance up and down Keegles’ big frame, ending by gazing squarely into his steady gray eyes. Then he smiled. ‘““That’s deucedly queer!”’ he said. “T thought so myself,” drawled Keegles. “But you see, I agreed, and there wasn’t anything more to be said. I couldn’t refuse Miss Hayden.”’ “Agreed to what?”’ demanded Hartley. “To sleep in your bed.” The young man studied Keegles. ‘Well, by George, this is rummy!” he said then. “Quixotic, eh?” “Well, rather!” agreed the young man. COmiclbook CO