The Argosy for May — page 57: what you’re looking at

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

' 244 The restaurant - owner sprang to his feet. ‘“Are you sure?’ he queried. The driver turned and nodded his head—he was too frightened to speak. Jacobi shook his shoulder. “Then come—we must help him.” His employer’s words brought the man back to his senses, and, jumping from the car, he quickly unfastened one of the large lamps from the front and hurried back to where the accident had happened. his heels. As the two men neared -the spot, the lamp’s rays showed only too plainly the truth of the chauffeur’s words. There before them, in the middle of the road- way, lay the prostrate form of a aman. For an instant Harris paused, and as his employer came abreast of him, he cried: “If I have killed him—I’ll never run a machine again!” Jacobi seized his arm and _ literally pulled him to the side of the injured man, whom he bent over and examined critically, while the chauffeur hung back, fearful of the worst. ‘““He’s not dead,” Jacobi declared in an undertone. ‘‘ Hurry to the car, and back it up carefully. Then we'll rush to the nearest doctor.” “You think he’ll live?” Harris que- ried anxiously. ‘‘ You don’t think he’ll die?” “JT do not know,” was the curt re- sponse. “ Bring the car here.” The other ran swiftly to do as bid- den, and springing into the front seat, reversed the gears, and the big machine slowly backed toward the man whose head rested on Jacobi’s knee. When it stopped, Harris leaped to the ground, ready to assist. “Help me get him into the car,” Ja- cobi directed, and, raising the uncon- scious man between them, the two lifted him tenderly into the automobile. ‘He must be intoxicated,’ Harris muttered as he helped make the stran- ger as comfortable as possible. ““Not at all,” Jacobi broke in quick- ly. “ That is just what I thought at first, but there is no trace of liquor in™ his breath. I cannot go ahead now.” At. that instant understand it; but the injured man Jacobi followed closely at. THE ARGOSY. roused up, and, after a deep groan, burst out: ‘ Don’t strike me again!” Then he suddenly sat erect and grabbed at Jacobi. ‘“Here, Harris, help me,” the restau- rant-owner called as the chauffeur was about to replace the lamp. Then he attempted to pacify the stranger. “There, my man, we are your friends, and want to take you to a doctor.” The other’s hands dropped limply to his sides, and in the dim glimmer of the street-lamp, Jacobi could see he was staring directly at him. _ “You are injured,’ he continued soothingly; ‘but I will get medical aid as quickly as possible. My driver did not see you in the darkness, and ran over you; but I hope and pray you are not hurt seriously.” The other sank back upon the cush- ions. “I remember all now,” he said, al- most under his breath. ‘‘ Are you a res- taurant-owner ? ” This question took Jacobi by surprise, but he replied: “* Yes—why?”’ ‘Then you are the man they wanted.” This puzzled the other more than ever, and, leaning closer to catch the almost inaudible statements of the in- jured man, he said: ‘‘I do not» under- stand.” “I know now,” was the response; ‘they wanted you—and got me.” Jacobi realized the futility of secur-, ing any information from the man, whose mind he now believed to be wan- dering. Leaning out of the car toward Harris, who stood alongside, he or- dered: “Go ahead, but drive carefully, avoiding any jar. I'll take him to my home,”’ “No, not that,” the stranger burst out. “Take me to my home.” ‘The car was already under way, and the driver leaned back to catch any di- rection he might give. “And where is -that?” Jacobi in- quired. . ~ “ Beaumont—on this same road.” “ Better let me take you to my house,” the restaurant proprietor urged. “I live “in Haledon—only two miles farther than Beaumont. doctor—”’ “No, I want mine,” Then [ll summon my own the stranger in- (eO) 0)(0)(0) ANG S (CO)