Argosy All-Story Weekly, May 3, 1924 — page 124: what you’re looking at

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

914 under her roof or was he on a wild-goose chase? Cliff sat down gingerly on the edge of the creaking bed to think. She believed in his identity, and it was plain that no warning could have reached her yet from her brother or Charlie Curran if Joe Geiger . was really hiding there, but she would take no risk by admitting it. He would have to watch and bide his time. The afternoon was unconscionably long, but after a careful survey of the still, gloomy pond bordered by rushes and the sagging roofed barn with one old man pottering about it he opened his door a crack and lis- tened. The house was so quiet that the tick- ing of the tall clock on the stairs came to him with almost startling distinctness. From below in the kitchen the rattle of stove lids grated metallically on the air, but no other sound reached him. He flung himself down on the bed at last to while away the time with the bundle of newspapers which he had brought. They gave him one item of information which made his heart sink like lead; Rich- ard Monckton would undoubtedly be under indictment in three days. The accusation was open now, the machinery of the law was in motion and less than seventy hours remained to gather the evidence necessary to block it! No one came near the farmhouse until supper time. When Cliff descended in re- sponse to the strident bell he asked if his landlady had a telephone. “No use for one,” Mrs. Dobson replied as she motioned to one of the two places laid at the kitchen table. ‘‘ The folks who stop with me don’t usually want to be both- ered with calls, but you’ll find a couple of pay stations down in the village.” ‘“‘T don’t need one myself just now, not for two or three days, and I won’t do much strolling around before then,”’ Cliff laughed as he seated himself, hoping that the relief he felt wasn’t too obvious. Any warning, then, must come by personal messenger! The supper was unexpectedly good, and Cliff ate heartily, then smoked a cigarette on the porch in the warm, fragrant darkness before ostensibly turning in. There was still no indication of a hidden presence, but his quick eye had noted that four biscuits re- ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. mained in a pan in the open oven, the coffeepot was large and filled to the brim and two extra slices of cold meat had been put aside on the platter. They couldn’t have been intended for the old hired man, for his supper was already spread on a little side table by the sink and Cliff drew his own conclusions. , Mrs. Dobson was still moving about in the kitchen. He bade her good night as he went up to his room. Once there he re- moved his shoes, tying their laces together, and then saw to the condition of his pistol before placing it under his pillow. He blew out the lamp, and lying down pulled the covers up about him, but listened with all his ears for a sound in the house or through the open window. The clock on the stairs ticked the long hours away until midnight and nothing but the muffled padding of heavy, softly slippered feet thrice past his door came to him. Perhaps this move had not been antici- pated, after all, by Bessie’s Uncle Charlie or his associates; perhaps the child had for- gotten to repeat his question about Al’s “ old woman,”? and when Mrs. Dobson’s confi- dence was wholly gained Joe Geiger might show himself on the scene. It seemed prob- able that no warning would come that night, in any event. Cliff was just on the point of disrobing and retiring in real earnest when a sound reached him from the road that made him spring up suddenly and peer out of his window. Although it commanded the rear, he would see the reflection of a ray of light from the road. There was none, yet the muffled chugging of a motor was approach- ing. An automobile, running as silently as possible and without lights! Cliff had only time to spring back into bed and emit a realistic snore when some- one began hastily to move about in a room somewhere near. When the car stopped abruptly before the house and the engine was shut off the same heavy but soft foot- steps descended the stairs, after pausing be- fore his door till another snore from him reassured the listener. Then he rose once more stealthily, flung his shoes around his neck by their laces and clutching his pistol made for the win- comnniiclsoo! CO