Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 18, 1928 — page 156: what you’re looking at

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

954 trouble the man began to mutter incoher- ently. Jed replied soothingly and went on with his plans. Kearny sat patiently by, watching with anxious eyes. Jed discovered that it was the leg that had been injured. Perhaps it had been broken by doubling under in the fall. The man might also have struck his head on a stray stone. He would have to get him somehow into the roadster. It would be better than to leave him on the road and go for help. Once in the car he could go on to the high- way that must be only a matter of a short distance now. On the good road he could get the victim to a hospital in the city in very short order. It was anything but an easy task. Jed half lifted, half dragged the man to the road; then using all his strength, he hoisted him into the car. As Jed took the seat beside him, he realized that the injured man was speaking. He was using all the will power he pos- sessed to get something explained and to remain conscious till he had accomplished it. At last Jed gathered that the man was begging him to meet Jane at the Charleston at eight o’clock. The Charleston was one of the city’s big hotels. To ease the man’s mind and without thinking much about it Jed prom- ised. Jed knew he would be late in keeping the appointment, for it must be nearly eight al- ready. The injured man, however, seemed greatly relieved and slipped quietly off into unconsciousness again. Then just as Jed was about to start he suddenly remembered Kearny. The dog was there waiting for orders. At the word he jumped in, crowding close to Jed and giving the hurt man all the room possible. II. Jep did not wait long at the hospital. Just long enough to find that he had been right in his surmise. 7 It was the leg that had been broken— just below the knee. The man had been | stunned also by a slight blow on the head, ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. probably when he fell. There was no im- mediate danger, so Jed hurried off. Jed’s plan was to hasten to the Charles- ton. He would get “ Jane” and return to the hospital with her as quickly as pos- sible. Then Kearny and he would start out again on the quest of his future job. With the speedy roadster it would not take long. That is if Jane was ready at the Charleston and did not keep him waiting. As he was parking as near as he could get to the hotel it suddenly occurred to Jed that he had failed to find out the injured man’s name. Jane was, of course, his wife —but Jane who? How was he ever to find—just Jane. 3 It was absurd! Jed now realized that he had been much more concerned about getting the man to the hospital than with his promise about Jane. He would have promised almost anything to ease the fel- low’s mind. However a promise was a promise! He would have to make some sort of a try. He entered the hotel without being able to think up any clever way of begin- ning the search. He looked about the brightly lighted lJob- by. He looked at the women. There were all kinds, young, old, and middle-aged. He had an irresistible impulse to duck and run. He realized it would soon be too late to return Kearny and have the mo- mentous interview with Mr. Anderson. He did not believe that Jane stood in dire need of a rescuer. She must certainly be old enough to take care of herself un- less the injured man had married some one a great deal younger than himself. Anyway, girls knew how to take care of themselves nowadays. Jed looked toward the door with the longing to escape. Then the promise he had made loomed large. He began walking through the various rooms. Soon he felt fairly dazed. It would be difficult enough to locate any one with- out any predetermined meeting place. But to know neither the person nor the exact — spot made it seem just about impossible. The hotel seemed fairly swarming with women. Jed felt that he had stepped out GComicboo eS co