Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 16, 1921 — page 103: what you’re looking at

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

94 . His eyes kept moving, asking questions, be- . seeching, imploring. Finally she rose briskly. “That gag’s a silly piece of business,” she announced. take it off. Why, I haven’t heard a word out of you since you came in. As if I was afraid of anything you’d say!” With strong, skilled fingers she unknotted the rag from his jaws, then filled a dipper with water and held it to his lips. He gulped the water like a famished dog. May Carr sat down and studied him with evident self-approval. ‘‘ Now you can talk,” she said, “‘ but first maybe you'd feel better if you took some of that mud off your face. The wash- basin’s in the corner.”’ When the prisoner had followed this hint he presented a rather florid countenance, not so bad looking. A little trick mustache of the sort that became popular during the war was again visible. One could imagine him, barbered and carefully dressed, as something of a city lady-killer—and the girl’s face must have reflected some admira- tion at the change, for he appeared more complacent. - “Look here, little lady,” he began husk- ily, ‘‘ thank God you got some brains and a regular human heart. You ain’t going to lose by this little piece of work; no, sir! Jack Holt’s a regular guy when it comes to remembering his friends—” “Jack Holt! Why, he—” “No, he ain’t, either. Jack Holt—that’s me, see? I’m Jack Holt—Holt, of the At- kins International Detective Agency, At- kins’s right-hand operative—”’ Her big eyes widened as she stared. Her lips parted. She leaned forward, all atten- tion. The prisoner noted the attitude be evident satisfaction. “I’m Jack Holt, the detective,” he re- peated earnestly. : That big stiff with the cold in his head, that’s Poe, Poe the guy that got those bonds off the messenger. He’s the crook, I tell you; he’s the party ought to be wearing these bracelets. Lady, that’s God’s truth. You—you got to believe me—’’ “Oh, oh, I—I couldn’t believe that. Why, how—when—why didn’t you say this “I declare, I think rl | ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY, before? Why didn’t you speak when he was here?” The flush deepened in his face. His voice became sulky. “ Held a gun on me,” he mumbled. “Tl make, him pay for that yet. If I talked the’d have blown my head off. Say—how was I to tell you?” ‘* But—but he had identification papers, everything—” “Yeah! Everything of mine! Can’t you get that, miss? Listen, you got to get it, and get it quick. I’m on the level. Poe, and this fellow, Kidder, that’s his partner in that bond robbery, well, they got my papers and my star and my gun and they’re getting away with that bag that’s got all the bonds in it. They’re going to get clean away if I can’t get your help to-night. You got to believe me, little girl, you got to understand somehow—” ‘But I don’t understand, yet—” look invited him to tell it all. Again the flush deepened in his face. He had something to tell that he did not relish. But also he was plainly desperate. ““T was out of luck,” the explained. “ Out of luck, that’s all. First time Jack Holt ever got in a jam like this, but—vwell, hell, when I get fooled you can bet it’s some pretty clever crook turns the trick. And I'll hand it to Poe, he’s a smart one—and a bad one, too! Why, lady, it’s the first time —never mind, though. Y’see, I went after this pair alone. That’s the kind of worker J am, Miss Carr—always taking a big chance in the line of duty. I went after ‘em single-handed. The city police and the rest of the Atkins force—good fellows y’un- derstand, but not very quick in the head— well, they all figured this pair would try to work south along the coast. But not Jack Holt. No, sir, I sized up this case different. I figured they’d sure try to strike across the Snoquamish Pass toward the east—and that’s just what they did—” May Carr’s eyes were bright. She glowed with admiration. ‘“ My, that was clever! How do you detectives ever guess those “ Oh, well—” spoil the prisoner’s improved opinion of himself when that opinion was so plainly Her reflected by the pretty girl opposite. ‘“‘ Us COMMiCOOolkkS Even manacles could not’ C@