The Argosy for May — page 21: what you’re looking at

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

208 raced over the stands and paddock, in- quireedl at the stables, and even investi- gated the ‘ field,” where the cheaper ‘“ sports’ are accustomed to congregate. But nowhere did they catch a glimpse of the man who had “done” them, nor run across any tangible clue to his where- abouts. Once, when they stopped to make ex- cited inquiry of a waiter behind the pie- counter, the gentleman who. had first aroused Harry’s suspicions by referring to Spear as a “tout” happened to be standing close at hand, and the boys overheard him remark to his companion: “Ah, a couple more of Spear’s vic- tims evidently ; and they look as if they had been well stung, too. I hope they will catch the cur, and give him what he deserves; but they’ll have to look sharp if they expect to do it. I heard last night that he -had all his plans laid to slip away to Europe. It’s getting a bit too hot for him on this side of the water, I fancy.” = Harry wheeled about on his fellow- sufferer, struck by a sudden thought. “George,” he asked quickly, “ were those bonds of yours readily negotiable?” “Readily negotiable? Well, I should rather say so. ‘They were payable to bearer. Anybody could have got the money on them.” Rock gasped. The possibilities were getting more interesting every minute. With a thousand dollars:in currency in his pocket, and ten thousand dollars more in securities which were just as good as cash, there was evidently no reason why Spear should postpone for a single day his projected departure to foreign climes. A thief does not usually delay long in his flitting when he has the swag safely in hand. There was one point in their favor, however. The rascally tout did not know as yet, of course, that they had fallen wise to his duplicity. He would argue that Harry, believing him to be a wealthy man, would not think of questioning the draft until after it had gone to Chicago and come back, a proceeding which would take several days, and that a still longer time must elapse before George became cognizant of the bold swindle practised upon him. Hence, it was highly probable that un- THE ARGOSY. less his suspicions became arouseds by some untoward event the scamp would, to a certain extent, take his own time in making his “‘ get-away.” As these considerations presented them- selves to Harry’s mind he ceased his aim- less rushing about, and dragging his companion into a secluded corner, urged him, too, to desist from the fruitless quest, and to try and regard the situation in a calmer and more judicial spirit. ‘“ Look here, George,” he said forcibly, ‘““we are making a couple of confounded idiots of ourselves. It.ought to be plain to any one by this time that neither Spear nor Corning is any longer on the grounds; yet we go chasing about like chickens with our heads cut off, not only to no purpose, but what is worse, attract- ing a lot of curious attention to ourselves, the one thing above all others we should most sedulously avoid. How long do you suppose it will be before some friend. of Spear’s drops on to the fact that we are looking for him, and hurries off to report. And, if that ever happens the fat will be in the fire and no mistake.” — ‘But what else can we do?” objected George, feeling that any sort of action was preferable to an idle sitting down upon the stool of repentance. “T must find him and get back my bonds,” he repeated desperately for about the hundredth time. ‘ You heard what that man said just now, Harry. Spear is liable to be off to Europe at any mo- ment, and then what sort of a pickle would I be in?” “And do you imagine that he will delay his sailing because he happens to hear that you are searching for him?” questioned Rock, with withering sarcasm. “Far from it, my young friend. That is just about the one thing which would lend an especial celerity to his move- ments. “No. If we are going to overhaul this artful dodger, and succeed in ma- king him_disgorge, we have got to be wary and circumspect, not go hunting for hinf with a brass band and a drum-major at the head of it. ‘Now, what I propose is that we im- mediately efface ourselves from here, and. go quietly back to town to take up the pursuit afresh there.” “And how shall we set about it?” GomiiGsooks7co LA,