Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 5, 1921 — page 116: what you’re looking at

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

A402 question. What would she remain behind for? She must have been a bit shocked at Mr. Moncrief’s rather startling display of violence, but probably they had suc- ceeded in making her believe that rt was quite ‘according to Hoyle. She loved that plausible scamp of an accountant so much that he seemed to be able to make her be- lieve almost anything. It was rather surprising, though, that a nice little girl like her should have been willing to run off and leave a chap lying there on the floor, in his condition, without attention! It would have taken a pretty heartless woman to abandon even a stray cat in the circumstances. Pshaw! That was easily explained. She, too, had believed he was dead. And it would be unreasonable to expect her to remain behind to minister to a dead man when she had a live husband insisting that no time must be lost in mak- ing a getaway. Somebody must have picked him up and had him removed to this hospital. The chicken farmer and his wife, most likely. They had come home and found him there, and had rushed out in panic to give the alarm. | How surprised they all must have been to find a strange young man stretched out on their parlor floor! Probably he would be in the headlines of al! the Harrisburg papers to-morrow. ‘‘ Mystery surrounds unidentified man felled by bullets in farm- house.”’ The local scribes ought fairly to eat that up! Presently a more scrious thought came to him. Perhaps it might still be possible to do something in the way of heading off the fugitives. Underwood had told his wife that they were planning to go abroad. They were to sail to-morrow, and their passage was already booked. Too bad the fellow had not mentioned what part of the world they were bound for, or what steamer they were sailing on! However, even with this vague information to work on something might be done. It would be rather a shock to his little girl reporter friend to have her precious husband nabbed just as they were about to make their getaway. But it would be best for her in the end. Besides, it was his duty. That scoundrel Lestrade certainly ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY: must not be allowed to escape if it could be prevented. - A nurse was approaching his cot. He greeted her eagerly. ‘‘ Could you arrange to have a telegram sent off for me imme- diately, sister? It’s to Deputy Police Com- missioner Oglivie, of the New York police department and it’s of the greatest impor- tance that he receive it right away.” The nurse smiled at him. ‘“ Commis- sioner Oglivie, did you say? Why send him. a telerram? He's down-stairs right now, waiting to see you as soon as the doctor says it’s all right.” ‘“Oglivie here!’”> Hemment exclaimed in astonishment. ‘* What a rare piece of luck! When did he arrive in Harrisburg, nurse?” “ He got back this morning. But he was here a weck ago—at the time you were brought in. It was he who brought you here, you know.” The patient stared at her dazedly. * Ye gods and little fishes! You mean to tell me I’ve been here a week?” he gasped. ‘And Oglivie brought me! Hanged if I can make head or tail of that! You say he’s down-stairs now, nurse? Then let me see him at once. Never mind bother- ing the doctor. Bring Oglivie right up.” But hospital! rules and regulations are not to be so lightly set aside. The young wo- man insisted on summoning the house sur- geon who, frowningly, informed the New York Afercury’s star reporter that a patient who within the past seven days had gone through the strain of having two bullets re- moved from his body must not be in too much of a hurry to receive visitors who might unduly excite him. However, after feeling Hemment’s pulse, taking his tem- perature, and doing various other things to him, the autocrat in the white linen suit finally relented, and permitted the chief of : the New York Central Office to make a brief call. What Oglivie told the patient when he arrived at his bedside certainly did excite the latter not a little. Oglivie began with an apology. ‘I al- most [cel that it is my fault that you are lying here, banged up like this, old man,” he said regretfully. ‘ If only we had horned | in a couple of minutes: eahee lov kcdldo |