Argosy All-Story Weekly, January 13, 1923 — page 148: what you’re looking at

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

610 ‘“ What’s that girl doing here. She’s the companion of Mrs. Sanderson. You're not going to give her the sapphires, are your” Jimmie Tucker gave a chuckle as he looked at Viola. ‘““Ah, my pretty maid, I thought you were sailing under false colors. But you have: put your head in the lion’s mouth, now, and you have no one. to. blame but yourself,” He made a dash for her, and she let out __ a’ piercing scream as she retreated to the side of the room. In his anger Tucker up- . up! set the little table and the sapphires fell to the floor. At the same moment Peabody Smith tore the velvet curtains aside and ran into the room, followed by Tim Farley. “ The game’s up, Jimmie,” he exclaimed. ‘You might as well get. ready to come with me’ The detective was pointing a revolver at the crook as he spoke. Viola Craig, shrink- ing in a corner, watched the scene with fas- cinated interest. Olga Brayton, with a Jook of unutterable scorn on her beautiful face, was staring at the detective. It made a striking tableau, with vice defeated and virtue triumphant. Then something entirely unexpected hap- pened. Olga’ Brayton, with a powerful sweep of her arm, knocked the revolver out of the hand of Peabody Smith. Quick as a flash, Jimmie Tucker took advantage of the sit- uation. Both hands shot into his hip pock-. ets and the next moment Peabody and Tim Farley found themselves staring into the muzzles of two automatics. The weapon which the detective had lost lay on the floor in front of Tim Farley, but he dared not stoop to pick it up. The voice of Jimmie Tucker made that clear. “Tf either one of you guys tries to get away Ill blow your heads off.” “ Collectively or one at a time?” asked ‘Peabody with a forced smile. But for once Jimmie was not ina ban- tering humor. “Get those sapphires, Olga,” he com- manded, and at the same time he thundered at Peabody and his companion—“ Hands Do you hear, hands up!” In that fearfully tense moment Peabody ARGOSY-ALLSTORY. WEEKLY. Smith saw a little black button in the wall which was within reach. And as he started to raise his hands in mid-air he suddenly contrived to push that button. The room was plunged in darkness. Two flashes of fire and two pistol shots spat out angrily. But at the same instant Peabody and Tim Farley dropped flat on the floor, and before you could count five. there came the heavy sound of a body fall-. ing. For two minutes there was pande- monium in the darkened room, then the voice of Peabody Smith was heard calling: “ Lights! Give us the lights!” Tremblingly Viola Craig found her way to the push button, and the room was brightly illuminated again. The tables had been turned. Peabody and Tim had the revolvers, and Jimmie Tucker, and Olga Brayton were their pris- oners.. A telephone message brought the. police, and the two distinguished crooks. were turned. over to their tender mercies. By a strange coincidence, Moffet, the jew-: elry expert, was coming into the hallway as they passed out. Jimmie caught sight of the man and gave him a parting salute: “ You are five minutes too late, you big bonehead. Kings have lost their crowns in less time. than that.” Moffet silently slunk down the hallway and disappeared in the shadows of the night. Upstairs: in the living room Peabody Smith was: speaking to Viola Craig, “Tf? you will kindly place those sapphires in your pocket,” he said, ‘‘ we will see that you are-.escorted to the home of Mrs. San- derson.. If it had not been for your. as- sistance our little program might have been a complete: failure.” Peabody Smith stooped down and kissed the hand of the: girl as he left her at the door of Sarah Sanderson’s home. And that night as he sat in state in his Washington Square apartment he could almost catch the faint odor of the perfume of her auburn hair, and could see her slender form and her winsome, wistful gray eyes. He turned to Farley as he lit a fresh Pittsburgh stogie: “ Ah, Tim,” he whispered, “ but youth is a glorious thing.” Tim agreed without having the faintest notion about what the old man was talking. CORMICLOO© S (C@)