Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 39: what you’re looking at

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

NOTHING BUT I intend to put over a big deal to-morrow, which explains why all this cash is in my room. There was nothing in the bag given me by the suicide except a few dirty shirts, which I threw away. I am not afraid of the police, nor you nor anybody else. I am going to keep your automatic because people who don’t know how to handle such things shouldn’t have them. And I am not turning you over to the police because | want to rejoin my friends and haven’t time to be bothered with you. I don’t care whether you believe what I tell you or not. If you ever cross my path again I won’t break your hand; I'll break your neck.” “T was a fool not to shoot you on sight,” grumbled the crook as he nursed his hand. ‘“ Hey, not that. You said you wouldn’t.” For Hilwin had taken the telephone and spoke into it: ‘Send up the house de- tective.” | “T want to make sure you get out of the hotel, and I’m going to ask him to escort you out,” explained Hilwin. “Took here,” declared the unsuccessful robber. ‘“ Nobody knows but me how you got this money. Give me half of it and [ll keep quiet. Otherwise I’ll get it all, be- cause I’m not through with you by any means.” Hilwin laughed with a merriment he didn’t feel. ‘‘ Nobody knows but you!” he exclaimed. ‘You haven’t much sense. Why if I had stolen this money and you were the only witness, it would be the best thing in the world for me to empty this gun into you. You're a thief. I find you in my room. I struggle with you, take your gun away from you and to protect myself I have to kill you. I’d get a vote of thanks from the police.”’ “Ves, but you won’t do it. sot the guts.” “T’ve guts enough, but I have nothing to fear from you. So why should I com- mit murder?” “Don’t do it on my account,” said the crook with a sour grin. At this moment the house detective bustled in. “This gentleman refuses to leave my room, though I don’t want to see him any You ain’t to look out for trouble. MONEY. $95<5 more. Will you escort him out of the hotel and make sure he doesn’t hang around outside?” ig ae “Come on, kid,” said the detective. “Want me to make a pinch?” ‘“ No, just throw him out.” “This ain’t no way to treat a friend,” protested the crook moving toward the door with the detective. “TIl see you again when you'll be sorry, you didn’t do busi- ness with me.” “ Good night.” As soon as he was alone Harry lost his air of confidence. He was actually very much frightened. It was bad enough to be holding on to a fortune that he wasn’t really certain he owned, when he thought that nobody knew he had it. Now he had active enemies, for the crook would prob- ably call in assistance, and he would have And the worst of it was that he couldn’t ask the authorities to protect him. He remembered that he had to rejoin the theater party at the Russian restaurant because if he didn’t show up it might start them talking about him. Besides, that daughter of Simpson’s was a mighty fas- cinating girl. And the bag must not remain in the bed- room a minute longer. Whether the hotel safe would accommo- date anything as large as the bag, he did not know, and he was afraid to ask. But he thought of a simple hiding place. Examin- ing the grip and discovering that the crook had not damaged the lock but opened it with a key of some sort, he locked it again and started downstairs. When he reached the ground floor he did not pass into the street, for he figured the robber might be lurking around. Instead, he went to the basement and out through a passage leading directly into the Grand Central Station. Making sure he wasn’t followed, he stepped up to the package- room window and checked the bag. In a place where so much baggage was being handled he felt sure the clerks were too busy and probably too honest to go through anything so ordinary looking as his hand bag. And he felt it would be the last nase in the world a crook would think of Jooking.