Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 152: what you’re looking at

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

942 was menacing him with the butt of the gun again. ‘Want some more of it?” Miller asked. Seagrave saw that he could not hope to serve Ruth when she was brought here if he lay unconscious on the davenport. He ceased to struggle and Miller took his hand from his mouth and the other men stood back from him. ° “T'll watch this freak,” Allison said. “You two go and get the lady. ‘Tell her that you will take her to Seagrave. If she won’t come, put a gun on her. Hurry up now. Bring her at any cost!” Miller and Brown hastened from the room, Allison stood over Seagrave with an- other gun in his hand. ‘““One peep out of you now and I'll bat you!” he said. ‘“ You’ve caused enough trouble.” “ May I sit up?” Seagrave asked. “ Sit up,” Allison agreed. He stepped back, holding the gun in his hand. “ You're just ripe for my purpose,” he sneered. “‘ You’re well beaten up as it is, and I guess I can make your lady see that you’re in danger of some more of the same treatment. Will you advise her to do what I say?” ‘What are you going asked. “You'll find out when she gets here,” Allison retorted. “Im going to get my pay out of her, I’m going to use Rad- cliffe and you to get it. I’ve got a piker’s crumbs in this town and I’m not going to stand for it. Your wife may think she’s clever—and I don’t say she isn’t—but I think I can break her now. You'd better tell her to do what I say. I’m in so deep now that it doesn’t make much difference what I do. What do you say?” “T say,” said Seagrave, “ that if I get a chance I'll kill you.” “Tf it comes to killing,” Allison said, “Jl be right there. to go through.” Seagrave “dropped his head on his chest and said no more. Even when Allison re- peated his demand from time to time he would not answer. He would not even look at the thug. He tried to formulate a plan, but there to say?” Seagrave This play has got. ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY, seemed to be no plan to formulate. He had been the innocent means of getting Ruth into this trap and he could think of no way to get her out. One thing he resolved on and that was that he would fight for her. That seemed to be futile and yet he could do no less. They would overbear him and then what would happen to Ruth? He groaned at what appeared to be his inadequacy in the emergency. He did not know how many minutes passed. His head ached terribly and his brain turned in slow, painful revolutions, He was only half alive. Then suddenly he felt as if he had been touched by a live wire. The bell had rung and the sound of it sent a shiver through him. He looked expectantly at Allison. Allison was releasing the catch of the street door. Seagrave started to get to his feet, but he sank back beneath the wave of dizzi- ness that swept over him. There was again the sound of ascending feet, and when they came outside the door Allison threw it open. Seagrave, turning his head, dimly saw Ruth enter the room. Miller and Brown followed her inside. Her eyes went at once to Seagrave. She swept across the room, ignoring the other men. She knelt before Seagrave and put her arms about his neck. “You are hurt,” she said as if the fact astonished her. “Never mind, dear,” Seagrave said. “Never mind about me. This isa trap. I did ‘what I could, but my best was no good. These men have brought you here to rob you.” Ruth got to her feet and her eyes went from one face to the other. “You seem to have done very well so far as two of them are concerned, Arthur,” she said. ‘ Allison and this other man seem to have got as good as they sent.”’ They were puzzled by her serenity. Alli- son, experienced as he was, didn’t think any woman could have faced the situation as Ruth was facing it. Ruth’s hand dropped toward Seagrave’s. Her fingers moved, inviting his clasp. He took her hand in his and got painfully to his feet. They confronted the other men. Cconnicoooks EO