Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 18, 1925 — page 62: what you’re looking at

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

212 -“ Dorothy is the right sort,” said Claude Cutler Fitch. ‘“ I’ve always esteemed her.” “You put it mildly,” suggested his at- torney. Mr. Fitch smiled cryptically. “ Between you and that chap on the Times, I really don’t feel so badly about all of it. There is something else—some- thing that I can’t fathom.”’ “You bet there is,” said Noble Howard. “And now, having told me the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth—just stick to it, if I ask you to tell it over again in another conference, will you?” “Why should I alter it?” “You shouldn’t, Claude. So, stick to it. Truth moves mountains. Maybe it will open this cell door. I’m going to take a pry at the hinges, anyway.” “Thanks, Noble. Please don’t forget my cigars. Send Mordaunt with them if not too much bother.” When the lawyer stepped out of the jail, he met Hank Thomas lounging near by. “ You’re up early,” he said. “ You know the proverb about the bird and the worm,” drawled Hank. ‘“ How is our worm?” ‘“ T left him in better spirits. He is grate- ful for the way you reported the inquest.” “ Did you ask him about the pistol?” “ He didn’t bring it from the den with him. He said he hadn’t seen it for some weeks that he remembered. I can’t go into details at this time of my client’s story to me, Mr. Thomas. But I can say definitely that he has a splendid defense and one that will undoubtedly acquit him.” ‘When can you tell me anything more?” “To-morrow,” said Noble Howard sen- tentiously, “I am to have another confer- ence with him. It will be in the morning. I should say—well, about eleven o’clock. If you’ll keep mum meanwhile, and will meet me here, you may have a surprise in the way of news.” “T’ll be as loquacious as a monkey wrench,” drawled Hank, “ but, as I still have a place between my two ears, designed to receive bread and butter, you don’t mind if I suggest in general terms that something of the kind is due to come off—not to- morrow-——but at the trial?” ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. “You are a young man after my own heart,” smiled Attorney Howard. ‘“And bread and butter,” supplemented the lanky reporter as he left him to mount his motor cycle. He whirled a corner. Just beyond a push cart man nearly fouled his machine. To avoid him Hank drove up on the curb, in this old part of town merely a slanting bank of sod, where the grade of a modern street had been cut below that of the ancient side- walk. Hank slithered back into the street. He stopped to button his coat. Looking back, he found that he was in view of the end of the old fort which served as a jail. The push cart man was staring at it. Hank drove back to the garage where he kept his machine. “Tune her up a bit more, Tony,” said he to the machinist. ‘She hasn’t much pep.” ‘‘ Awright,” said the mechanic. As Hank turned to leave he remarked: “Say, why don’t your friends get a little free advertising in your paper?” “What do you mean?”’ “You made it look in the Times this morning as if Morduant was a reg’lar me- chanic. If that Portugee stiff can adjust a set of timin’ gears [ll eat your motor cycle raw. He can’t hardly change a tire. Only been a chauffeur about six months. Why, one day, he come in here, his machine back- firin’ and missin’. He talked about them gears then. But he only forgot to pull dowa his choker on the gas feed. The mixture she was gettin’ was rich enough to bank- rupt his boss.” Hank laughed, tolerantly. ‘ What made him pull that pose?” ‘“‘ Aw, he’s tryin’ to climb onto a dead man’s shoulders to make folks believe he’s a reg’lar chauffeur-mechanic. Ain’t his boss in jail? Where’s his job gone Af his boss goes to the chair?” The reporter nodded absently. He was still mulling over Mr. Howard’s changed at- titude. Last night he had been frankly timorous. To-day he was almost oracular in speaking of a “ splendid defense ”’ and a “ big surprise.” {n this frame of mind Hank sought the 4 COPMIC MOO KS (E@)