Argosy All-Story Weekly, October 25, 1924 — page 53: what you’re looking at

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

THE LOST ORANGE GROVE. steps when we alighted at the Pomeroy house. Suzanne evaded him when he held out his arms; she went up the steps; paused in the doorway. ‘“‘ Please,” she whimpered; “ just leave me alone.’’ “ You’re not going to stay in this house alone,” Gene said energetically. ‘‘ I’m go- ing to send Ma Babcock down here to take care of you.” “Very well,” said Suzanne listlessly. Ma Babcock was the wife of the section foreman, a capable, energetic woman, and a crack shot with a pistol. We secured her promise to start for the Pomeroys imme- diately, then went on to my house, where we entered upon an all night discussion of ways and means. At midnight I called up the hospital and was told by the night nurse that the patient was still living; his pulse was regular and firm; there was, so far, no sign of infection; he was sleeping fitfully. He could talk, but refused to. “Ts it still a matter of life or death?” I asked. “Tt is,’ she said crisply. ‘“ He may be dead when I go back upstairs. A hemor- rhage would, without question, be fatal. I'll phone you if there is any change.” Gene Bantry and I watched the sun come up. After several cups of strong coffee we drove to the Majolica jail. The dark brothers were in adjoining cells and the warden, at my request, left us alone with them. Their attitude was suspicious and hostile. They seemed to resent our visit, but were relieved when I told them that Ma Babcock was staying with Suzanne. ‘“Dimlock may pull out of it,” I said. “ He’s still on the border line, but if—” “He deserves to be dead,” Bert Pomeroy interrupted sullenly. - “Tf he dies, you two are apt to hang,” I reminded him. “We expect that,’ he said with indiffer- ence. ‘‘ We’ve never had a square deal in our lives. Why should we expect one now? We’ve been accused of things we’ve never done. We’ve been lied about; we’ve been—” “Have you thought about a lawyer?” I broke in. “ You’re going to need a good one, whether he pulls through or not.” 43 ‘“What are we going to hire him with?” Phil snorted. ‘ We’re broke. We're dead broke. Where can we raise money to fight the case?” | “From us,” Gene broke in quietly. The two brothers stared at him curious- ly, then suspiciously. “Why?” Bert rasped. “ Because,” Gene said in the same quiet tones, ‘‘ we don’t think you’ve been treated fairly. Buck, here, told me the whole story. I know all about Dimlock and what he did to wreck you; and if you think we’re going to stand by and see you handed another rot- ten deal, you’ve got another guess coming.” The Pomeroys did not grasp it at once. Perhaps for the first time in their lives, two human beings were aligning themselves with them, and not against them. “You're broke yourself,” Bert growled finally. “ Vl sell off my machinery, whatever isn’t mortgaged,” Gene said briskly. “And I guess I can raise a pretty fat retainer. Buck is going to stretch his credit at the bank until it cracks. We're going to hire the best legal talent in the State of Florida; if you fellows don’t get a square deal, it won’t be our fault. We know you’re on the level. We’re with you.” “Look here,” Bert said in a strange, harsh voice, “‘ you mean to say you’re goin’ to do all this, after how we’ve acted and all?” ‘No hard feelings at all,” Gene said un- easily. A strange, softening expression settled upon the dark face. Something like a smile twitched at the corners of his hard mouth. ‘ Phil,” he said gently, ‘“ did you hear that?” “Yes,” said Phil. “I didn’t know there were people like that in the world.” “‘ 1f—if we ever get out of here,” Bert said thickly. “If we ever do, I want you to know—I want you to know—” He stopped again. He couldn’t get the words out. Well, it was the first time in his life he’d ever had occasion to use that kind of words. Gene grabbed his hand through the grat- ing. “You bet,” he said energetically. ‘“ But CORnICLOO S ¥ (CO)