The Argosy, April 1916 — page 166: what you’re looking at

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

156 Going over the events of the past month ‘she could see that she had information con- cerning Count Apponnetti and many of his associates, which linked with other facts now in her possession, and, of course, in the possession of the secret service men, would make a very grave case indeed for the band. She had an idea that treason, whether in time of war or not, was punishable by death, or at the very least by many years in a government prison. In either event Ap- ponnetti’s connection with this matter could be established principally through her; for she could see now that in many ways he had arranged to cover his tracks so far as the others in the plot were concerned. An agony of dread came over her. “Now that you have murdered Mr. Nealis,” she asked at length, “would you mind telling me what you intend to do with me?” “YT don’t intend to do anything with you —except take you to a certain place,” was the reply. “And after I do that I’m going - to leave these parts in Nealis’s car and let Apponnetti have you. If you ever see Nealis—” He paused abruptly. “But you won’t,” he added. “Look here, please,” she pleaded. ‘I have never done anything to you that I know of. Nor to your friend. Let me out here, and go off where you please. I’ll never tell—”’ She stopped short. “TI mean,” she went on, “you can’t have any desire tg be a party to my being injured—or anything like that. That will only make it worse for you. What can you gain by being a tool of Apponnetti’s? Let me get out here. You’ve done a lot that’s bad in your life; can’t you do at least one good act?” “T’ve got nothing against you, lady. But this is my job, see? I never yet laid down on a job. Even a strong-arm man has his honor. Now I’m paid to land you at a certain place, and I’m a going to do it. “Kenebal,” he called suddenly, “‘pull that girl’s head back and blindfold her now.” As she felt her head drawn back by the man behind, her eyes flashed over the lonely road, but there was nothing in sight. She twisted her head and raised her arms to beat at the beast whose fingers were in her hair, and when she received a warning tap _on her cheekbone she suddenly rent the air with a loud scream. _ There came a jerking movement of the THE ARGOSY. car and the driver wrestled with the wheel a second, then turned his head. ‘““Kenebal,” he said, ‘‘what did I tell you to do if she made a sound?” The great hairy fingers instantly pressed into her throat, the grip slowly increasing until the read swam before her and then grew black, whereat, upon a word from the man at her side, the fingers relaxed. The next instant a handkerchief was passed over her eyes and she suffered it to be knotted tightly, if only because of her fight to gain a full breath. Soon after the direction of the car seemed to change. And in a minute or so it altered again. Then there was a long run on a straight course, with a sharp turn followed by the stopping of the engine. There was silence for a moment and then Helen heard the sound of approaching wheels. The hands of the man in the rear were gripping her elbows and she could not move. A whispered consultation followed and then she heard the voice of the alleged detective. | ‘“‘Now, miss, if you'll get out.” | She arose, weakly, and was lifted down to the street. In fact her feet did not touch .the sidewalk. She felt a sensation of being rushed through a short space, and the next instant she breathed the musty odor of a hallway and heard the door slam behind her. CHAPTER XVII CONSPIRATORS FALL OUT AND IN AGAIN. HELEN was hurried through the hall and led into an apartment whose atmos- phere was redolent of cigarette smoke. There was a moment of whispering and then the handkerchief was taken from her eyes. She saw a heavy Mission center-table, surrounded by comfortable armchairs; on the wall were framed sporting prints, all foreign subjects, while the table was lit- tered with cigarette boxes, on all of which were crests, indicating that the owner was a titled personage. Helen could hear dull sounds from the street, which indicated that her room. was on the lower floor of the house, and through the walls from another room came the murmur of voices, the cadence of which implied an argument of some sort. She looked about the room and found that it 1OOOLK C@