Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 18, 1925 — page 63: what you’re looking at

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

THE DUKE OF DISDAIN. restaurant where he breakfasted. Still _ thinking, he strolled out on the street. - Then he heard his name called. He looked up. Mr. Fitch’s limousine was standing at the curb. Mordaunt, immacu- late, was at the wheel, and Dorothy Dale, smiling as if no shadow of tragedy existed, was beckoning to him. Hank doffed his hat as he walked over toward her. CHAPTER XI, THE JAILBREAK, S he reached the vehicle she leaned A back in her seat, drawing back her head with a slight gesture pregnant with fresh mystery. The reporter bent his tall, angular figure and thrust his head well within the machine’s luxurious interior to catch her whisper, the scent of flowers—and his own breath. Dorothy Dale was no longer merely beau- tiful in the static sense. She had become dynamically enchanting, and Hank Thomas, suddenly self-conscious of his own gawky appearance, felt acutely diffident. “TIsn’t it glorious—the news?” ‘““T—T don’t just understand,” he stam- mered. “ Of course you don’t. So I'll explain— in confidence, of course.y I’ve just been to the jail and they let me in and I saw Claude. Poor boy! He was so glad to see me, al- though when Mr. Howard asked me to send him some cigars he suggested letting Mr. Mordaunt take them over. But I took them myself.’ Only no one knows I took them. I just thought if the law was mean enough to lock up Claude in such a horrid place and for such a silly reason as they gave— his being in love with me, as they said— why, I’d break one of their old laws just for spite.” Hank grinned. ‘“ But that isn’t all.” “How shrewd you are,” complained the girl arcily. ‘“ No, it isn’t. Claude told me that Noble told him that after a conference to-morrow he’d try and. pry loose the hinges on that door—meaning, he’d get him out. But you won’t say anything?” “Mr. Howard told me something of the 2138 same sort and we came to an understand- ing already as to how it was to be used, if at all, in the news” “I’m going to insist on accompanying Noble to-morrow. I know Claude is inca- pable of doing what they say he did. I have reasons—” She cut off with another mysterious but enchanting smile. ‘““—-and I may tell you when he’s out of there,” she added, ‘‘ why he wozldn’t do such a thing—especially for such a silly reason,” ‘“T’m much obliged,” said Hank, “ and I hope Mr. Fitch gets out.” The words seemed flat and stale to him as he watched her whirl away. Such a girl was beyond description. Hank Thomas could only gesture impotently at the invisi- ble stars to bear witness—and start for the office. “Long distance wants you,” said a boy as he came in. Hank hurried to the booth. He emerged very perturbed, his brow beaded with cold sweat and a noxious dread ‘clutching at his heart. He flew out of the Times office, hustled himself like a falling star to the ground floor, popped into another pay booth, and called Noble Howard’s law of- fice. Mr. Howard had gone to New York and would not be back until next day. Then he called the Fitch mansion and asked for Miss Dale. Mrs. Meredith’s quaver replied. Miss Dale was visiting friends and would be back late, if at all. Hank revealed his identity and asked if Mrs. Meredith contemplated a call on her nephew that afternoon. “T told Mr. Howard,” said the lady, “that I could never bear to see my only sister’s only son in suchea place. He agreed with me. He told me this morning he would not be in there long.” Hank hung up. He stepped into the lobby. It was a big building and was thronged with people. Among them Hank again discerned Mordaunt, who was stand- ing near a granolithic pillar, with his back toward the reporter. Hank edged his way. Mordaunt was talking to a girl. She was rather pretty, and Hank’s wild impulse to send the chauffeur in to see his master did not commend itself for several reasons—rea- Gomichooks (E@)