Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 65: what you’re looking at

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

THE MAN WITHOUT HANDS. “Can you tell me where Teck lives?” asked Val. “One flight up, on the left, in the rear,” grunted the woman, and banged the door. People evidently did not keep their doors open any longer than they could help in this neighborhood, meditated Val. Ah, well, it occurred to him that if he lived there he wouldn’t keep his door open any longer, either. They made their way up the creaking, uncovered stairs, with the aid of the in- valuable flashlight. A musty, filthy smell, the fetid, odorous accumulation of many years’ cooking, a composite smell of per- haps thirty years standing, greeted their nostrils. On the wall, to the left of the stairs, the plaster had come off in great gobs, exposing the bare lath underneath. | At the head of the stairs, to the left, they found the door they were looking for. — “This must be it, sir,” whispered Eddie. “ Correct,” whispered Val. He knocked softly. There came no answer, as he had ex- pected. He knocked again. Still no answer. : ‘““Where’s that cold chisel?” he asked in a whisper. Eddie produced it silently and handed it to him. “ Now for a little plain and fancy bur- gling,’ muttered Val. The door did not fit well. Probably, at the beginning, many years before, it had fitted snugly, but that time was long years agone. It was badly warped by now, and it was a simple matter to find room for the chisel. There was a sharp straining of wood against iron, a dull rasping sound, another push, and the door swung open. “Tf this is the burglar’s art,” said Val, ‘it’s very easy.” They entered the room silently, and the flashlight showed them that it was a fairly large living room, with another smaller room, probably a bedroom, on one side. In a moment or two he made certain that there was nobody in the apartment. He located the gaslight in the center of the room. “ Close the door and pull down the Louder this time. 333) shades, Eddie, and Ill light up so we can have a look around.” Eddie did so, and Val lighted the gas, illuminating the rooms. They were surprised at the comfort and good taste shown in the furnishing of the room. It was evidently a combined living room and library, with deep leather chairs, a reading lamp, a walnut library table, and rather fine prints and etchings on the walls. The first thing that struck Val’s attention, however, was a bundle of books on the li- brary table. Even before he advanced to them he knew that they were the ones he was looking for. ‘““ Ah, we have with us to-day, Eddie, pieces of eight, doubloons and Spanish gold, as exemplified in yon books—maybe.” He waved his hand to the books. He looked them over briefly, perfunctorily. A glance told him that he was correct. “« Are they the ones?” asked Eddie. Val nodded. “I'll tell the astigmatic world they are,.my boy,” he said. “Yes, sir,” replied Eddie. He opened the suit case and placed the books within carefully. ‘ Let’s go.” “ Right-o! Let us stagger homeward. Sorry we cannot wait until our good friend, igey Teck, comes back. It would be nice to visit with him, but—” The door opened silently, and four men stood in the opening, quiet, grim, revolvers leveled. Only one spoke. It was the little cross-eyed man who had directed them to this address. “Reach fer a cloud, men!” he said. “Grab yerself a star!” ‘““T take it that you mean by that that you want us to raise our hands in—”’ “Damn right, kid!” snapped the gang- ster. ‘‘ Stick em up—an’ don’t let me have ter tell yer again, neither.” _ Slowly Val’s hands went up into the air. ‘“ To what are we indebted for the honor of this—er—visitation?” he asked. ‘‘ You didn’t—er—send up your cards, nor were you announced by the butler,” he bantered, sparring for time, but his eyes were con- tracted to pin points and his square jaw had hardened angularly. ‘“ Never mind all that guff,” ordered the gangster. “‘ Stand right where you are and CODMMicloookkSse©