Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 57: what you’re looking at

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

BORROWED PLUMES. with dead bodies told him that George still the sun and moon were turned off as if short-circuited. George stood erect for an instant, and then seemed to telescope, joint by joint, member by member. That was all there was. There wasn’t any more. VI. Ucicu1 had followed at a discreet dis- tance, unobserved, until George and his companion entered the door of the lodging in the Marais. He went no farther, but took up his post in a shadowy corner of the big courtyard. He was disappointed not to be in on the little party, as he would have been had Count Vaudreuil not been - replaced by another, and he wished to be close by in case of an emergency. But his fine Oriental sense of courtesy prevented him from going farther than the door it- self. From where he stood, he heard the diminuendo of ascending footsteps up the stone stairs, flight after flight; and after that, only the noises incidental to a great house occupied largely by the families of ouvriers, petty tradesmen, and one or two obscure artists, came to his keen ears. The peace was broken abruptly by a sound as of splintering wood, followed in quick succession by other noises that told him a battle was raging somewhere above. He stiffened to an even closer attention; but still made no move to investigate. And since action is ever briefer than the record- ing of it can be, silence again closed down in a few seconds, and once more the queru- lous crying of a baby, the evening lecture of an artisan’s wife to her fuddled husband, or a tinkling piano in some upper apart- ment dominated the night. A very few minutes later a car glided up to the tunneled entrance to the courtyard; -and shortly thereafter Ugichi caught the sound of slow and cautious steps descend- ing the stone stairs. They moved with dif- ficulty, and as they drew near were accom- panied by whispered advice and the occa- sional striking of a match in a dark turn- ing. Presently the doorway gave forth a group of three, bearing the form of a fourth, whom the Japanese recognized as George Strong. He sidled nearer, keeping in the Shadow and hugging the wall. Experience 683 lived; indeed, there were indications. that he was “ coming to.” The bearers themselves were feeling none - too well; Langouste staggered with his share of the burden, the shoulders, and one of the two smaller men behaved like a sleep walker. Also, there was a steady dribble of blood from his swollen lips. Nevertheless, they managed to half carry, half drag the unconscious man across the courtyard, and to pile him into the waiting car. The two or three idlers who were about seemed to regard the affair as com- monplace, the homegoing of an intoxicated friend assisted by Samaritans. The car was not a taxi, but an old and rather battered limousine, with a big spare rim locked in its rack behind. Into this, as the gears were engaged and the car start- ed along, Ugichi leaped monkeylike, curled up into a sort of ring within the spare. In a surprisingly short time the car stopped, after making several turns about the narrow streets of the section; and the Japanese, leaping off and to the opposite side of the street, found shelter beneath a penthouse which extended from an ancient palace, now a warehouse. The three men once more took up their burden, now able to stand on his feet but plainly dazed and helpless, and all passed up three worn steps to a door in a darkened house directly op- posite. To their knock, the door was cautiously opened. Ugichi noted that a chain held it, and was not loosed until the men were rec- ognized by the doorman. As soon as they had disappeared, and the door was closed, the Japanese crossed over and noted the number. He also carefully studied the houses on either side, and with a pocket knife scratched a little symbol on the door jamb. The house itself was a narrow, four story affair of brick, later in style than most of those in the Quarter. No sounds came from within; nor was any light visible until, on the very top floor, a dim glow as of a candle behind thick curtains, stole down into the dark and nearly deserted street. Meanwhile, Mme. Volontiers, though shaken and terrified by the violent scene of which she had been a helpless witness, <EOmMmiIcbooks- co