Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 94: what you’re looking at

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

728 bandaged as to the jaw, which was turned on me when the nurse left us. ‘“‘You remember what I said about the pug in the checked suit.” He whistled through damaged teeth. “ Well, I took him on last night and got tidily laid out. I’m not up to professional standards, and my game leg made me slow.” “You've put your foot into it most no- bly,” I said grimly. ‘‘ What do you mean by brawling in a dance club? You’ve em- barrassed me horribly in the job I’m on.” “ But how?” he asked, and but for the bandage his jaw would have dropped. “Never mind how at present. I want to know exactly what happened. It’s more important than you think.” He told me much the same story that I had heard from Mary, but much garlanded with objurgations. He denied that he had dined too well—‘ nothing but a small whisky and soda and one glass of port.” He had been looking for the girl in green for some time, and having found her, was not going to miss the chance of making her acquaintance. ‘A melancholy little being with nothin’ to say for herself. She’s had hard usage from some swine—you could see it by her eyes—and I expect the pug’s the villain. Anyway, I wasn’t goin’ to stand his order- in’ her about like a slave. So I told him so, and a beaver with a black beard chipped in and they began to hustle me. Then I did a silly thing. I tried to solemnize ’em by sayin’ who I was, and old Turpin was there, so I dragged his name in. Dashed caddish thing to do, but I thought a marquis would put the wind up that crowd.”’ “Did he join in?” “TJ don’t-know—I rather fancy he got scragged at the start. Anyhow I found myself facin’ the pug, seein’ bright red, and inclined to fight a dozen. I didn’t last for more than one round. My game leg cramped me, I suppose. I got in one or two on his ugly face, and then I suppose I took a knock-out. After that I don’t re- member anything till I woke up in this bed feelin’ as if I had been through a mangle. ‘The people here say I was brought in by two bobbies and a fellow with a motor ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. car, who said I had walked slap into his bonnet at a street corner and hurt my face. He was very concerned about me, but omit- ted to leave his name and address. Very thoughtful of the sweeps to make sure there would be no scandal. I say, Dick, you don’t suppose this will get into the newspapers? I don’t want to be placarded as havin’ been in such a vulgar shindy just as I’m thinkin’ of goin’ in for Parlia- ment.” “JT don’t think there’s the remotest _chance of your hearing another word about it, unless you talk too much yourself. Look here, Archie, you’ve got to promise me never to go near that place again, and never on any account whatever to go hunt- ing for that girl in green. I'll tell you my reasons some day, but you can take it that they’re good ones. Another thing. You’ve got to keep out of Turpin’s way. I only hope you haven’t done him irreparable damage along of your idiocy last night.” Archie was desperately penitent. “I know I behaved like a cad. I'll go and grovel to old Turpin as soon as they let me up. But he’s all right; sure to be. He wasn’t lookin’ for a fight like me. I ex- pect he only got shoved into the street and couldn’t get back again.” I did not share Archie’s optimism, and very soon my fear was a certainty. I went — straight from the hospital to Carlton House Terrace, and found Mr. Victor at break- fast. JI learned that the Marquis de la Tour du Pin had been dining out on the previous evening and had not returned. CHAPTER XV. FRENCH NOBLEMAN DISCOVERS FEAR. HAVE twice heard from Turpin the story I am going to set down—once be- fore he understood much of it, a-second time when he had got some enlightenment— but I doubt whether to his dying day he will ever be perfectly clear about what hap- pened to him. I have not had time to introduce Turpin properly, and in any case I am not sure that the job is not beyond me. My liking for the French is profound, but I believe there Commicoooks (S©)