The Argosy, Christmas 1912 — page 175: what you’re looking at

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

CASTAWAYS OF blunt remarks he failed to show it. He listened to Jernyngham with a derisive smile. “Tm jerry to this, all right,” said he, ‘that everything seems and that nothing really is. I’ve been doped, and when I come to you can bet your bot- tom sou marquee that I’m going to make things hot for the bunch that worked the hocus-pocus. When | wake up I want to. have the satisfac- tion of knowing that I plugged for my side even while I was under the influ- ence of that funny powder. Just at present I’m little Alice Plunkett in Wonderland, and I’m very, very busy hunting a way back to Common-sense Junction, where I got off. Meanwhile, I’m going to be as obstreperous as I can.”’ Simpson came in, and began clear- ing away the table. Lumley watched him with interest and impatience. In fact, he was so wrapped up in the prospect of that delayed breakfast that he could not feel properly aggrieved at the stand taken by Jefferson Plun- kett. Jernyngham had it in mind to be very severe—there was no doubt at all about that—but before he could vent his indignation upon Plunkett some- thing else happened. A door opened and closed. Footsteps were heard ap- proaching hurriedly. There was an- other flurry of excitement in the chart- room; and then—Jasper Kinch flung himself into the office. “ Ah, Lumley!” Kinch exclaimed. “Glad to see you, Jernyngham. Ex- cuse brevity, but I’m in the biggest kind of arush. Got an air-ship on the roof, and just dropped in for a moment to have a word with Lumley. I’m trying to corral all of our crowd at the office of the chief dictator. Mortimer, Rip- ley, and McWilliams are there, and Lumley is to join them at once. I’m off to get Dr. Kelpie.” « ‘ How did you know I was here? ” inquired Lumley. “The news came by transmit from Kennedy, 18.” THE YEAR 2000. 16] “Have you found Dr. Kelpie?” “We've heard from him. The in- formation was brought by one of the guards, who was bribed by the doctor. Kelpie was recaptured, but while he was free he managed to hide the time- ball; now he’s back in the old quarters in Amsterdam Avenue, with the guards doubled, and they’re going to use the thinkograph on him and_ discover where he secreted the main part of the time-machine. We've got to prevent that. Dicks is marching a strong force of muglugs at the double-quick to the Kelpie house, and I’m needed there to direct proceedings. I—” A sound of quick movement drew all eyes toward the office door. Jefferson Plunkett was just making a hasty exit. “Come back here!” shouted Kinch. “Be hanged to you!” flung back Plunkett, looking around and flourish- ing his revolver. “Try to stop me and I'll shoot. You’ll not get the time-ball—I want it myself.” He slammed the door, leaving those in the office staring at each other in apprehension and dismay. “Confound the fellow!” grunted Jernyngham. “ Not that this time- ball counts for much, so far as the dic- tators are concerned, but—”’ “It counts for more than you know!” cried the exasperated detect- ive. “I wish I’d brought that electric gun. As it happens, I haven’t a weapon of any sort; but I'll not let that stand in the way.” With that he flung open the door of the chart-room. The operators were huddled in one corner, like a lot of frightened sheep. Through the open door of the tube-room Jefferson Plun- kett could be seen puffing and flounder- ing on the flight of iron stairs that led to the roof. Followed by Lumley and Jernyng- ham, Kinch plunged on in fierce pur- suit. By the time the three reached the foot of the stairs Plunkett was out of the roof-door, and by the time the pur- suers reached the roof the machine that had brought the detective was on the oO cComicbooks CO