Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 144: what you’re looking at

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

770 which became haggard to a degree rarely seen, for even his nerves were showing the stress which was laid upon them. He had turned toward the window outside of which Phil was perched when Aunt Sophronia’s door again was opened, and Aunt Sophronia herself stood on the threshold. “ Phelim,” she demanded, ‘‘ is Phil in this hotel?” Anxious to spare her if he could, Phelim hesitated before replying. Her face, al- ready white from fatigue, became paler still. ‘“‘T know he’s here,” said she. ‘“ I know you must have hidden him somewhere, or else he’d have been caught when they looked for him. But now these rooms won’t be searched again, probably, so they’re the safest place. So bring him here, until we can make some plan to get him away.” Phelim did as he was told, and helped Phil back through the window, for owing to the stiffness of his cramped position, he could not have managed it without assist- ance; his hands, by their continued clutch on that slim and rusty pintle, were almost powerless. For a time he could neither open nor close them. 2 No time was wasted in reproof of his carelessness; already that carelessness had brought its own punishment and was likely to bring more. So the two devoted girls fell to chafing his hands between theirs, and Aunt Sophronia was busily planning the next move. “The police will be on the lookout all around this building,” said she, musingly. ** Dunning has brains enough to see to that. Everybody going in or out will be watched, even a waiter, or a cook, and the delivery boys aren’t out this time of day. No, there’s no disguise we dare risk. Phelim, do you think—” The telephone bell interrupted her. She took down the receiver. ‘‘Yes, this is Miss Herondene,” said she, in answer to the con- ventional question. Then she listened, and those in the room, watching her with bated breath, saw a faint tinge of color come into her cheek and a look of relief, but though they listened un- til, as Peggy afterward remarked, they al- most sprained their ears, and though they ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. could hear a faint croak from the other end of the wire, no word could be distinguished. At length the croaking ceased. _ “Good!” cried Aunt Sophronia, in reply. “T don’t think I was ever so glad of any- thing in all my life! You seem to have heard a lot, but there are other things you’ll have to know—things I can’t tell you over the ‘phone. But Phelim—Phelim O’Rourke —can tell you everything, and I’m sending Phelim to you now. So stay where you are till you see him. Afterward come up here; Jack will sleep down there at his headquar- ters, and you can have his room. All right? I'll send Phelim, then, as soon as I can get Jack’s clothes for him to take. Yes, I'll hurry. Good-by.” She hung up the receiver. There was actually a smile on her face as she turned toward the others. “It’s Senator Reynolds,” she explained. “He and Dr. Gray, Phelim, are down at the political headquarters in your place. And while I was talking to him, Phelim, a plan came to me. If I could get Phil to those headquarters of yours, do you think you could hide him there for a while?” “Wance get him into my disthrict, ma’am, an’ not all the divvles in hell—I beg parrdon! I mane, that not all the police in the city will iver lay a finger on a hair av his head! But how will we get him there?” _“ You heard what I just said,” she an- swered. “I said it on purpose for the police to hear—for they hear everything that’s said over any telephone of mine. I said I was going to send Jack’s clothes down to him—and so I will send his trunk. It’s one of those newfangled wardrobe trunks, with a bulge in the top, so it won’t stand upside down. If we can make a hole in it, to let in some air—”’ There was no need for her to continue. Phelim gave a subdued whoop of joy. ‘“‘ An’ the head porther here one av the best fr’inds I have in the wurruld!” he cried. ‘‘ And as for thim holes—just watch me!” The corridor still was deserted. The bag of electrician’s tools still remained on the floor, where Phil had left it. Retrieving this, he selected two long gimlets, one of which he thrust into the hands of each of Go VDOO|KS AMUG (C@