Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 16, 1921 — page 145: what you’re looking at

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

136 wall, his arms hanging limply, as though advertising his complete subjugation; his chin was on his chest; his mouth was open, his eyes closed. Hamlin stepped toward him, within arm’s length. “Frayne, where did Morrell take Bar- bara Alden?” Frayne lifted his head; his eyes were furtive, shifting, fearful. He threw up one hand as though to guard against the blow he expected. “Don’t hit me again,” he whined; “ I’ll tell you.” “Where?” ‘“‘ Morrell will kill me,” muttered Frayne. “ But I can’t stand any more of this. She’s in a room above the Dragon.” Frayne heard Hamlin’s breath shrill into his lungs. He watched with furtive inter- est while Hamlin put on his coat and hat, moving swiftly, saying nothing. “Come wn,’ Hamlin ordered shortly. “You’re going to show me exactly where Morrell took her.” He walked over and seized Frayne by an arm; his grip was so vicious that he half lifted Frayne off the floor. His voice was cold, sharp, menac- ing. “Wipe the blood off your face—quick, you miserable whelp! And listen to this: If you raise your voice above a whisper while we’re going to the Dragon—if you make a motion that looks like you are sig- naling for assistance—I’ll kill you as sure as my name is “Hamlin.” A few minutes later they descended the stairs, Frayne in the lead, Hamlin close behind him. When they reached the low- er hallway Labrue met them, opened the door. As Hamlin passed Labrue whis- pered: “T couldn’t done a better job myself. I * heard you giving it to him. What was it you was saying about Barbara Alden being abducted? Does Mr. Sayle know about it!” “Damn Sayle!” muttered Hamlin vin- dictively. Before Labrue could complete his aston- ished exclamation Hamlin had reached the sidewalk, shoving Frayne ahead of him. At the next corner Hamlin hailed a halting ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. passing taxi, marked vacant. If Frayne’s appearance attracted attention, Hamlin paid no attention; he hustled the man into the taxi, slammed the door, jumped in be- side Frayne, and called to the driver to “make time” to the Dragon. In the rush of early morning traffic the vehicle attracted little attention. Hamlin’s time was occupied in watching Frayne with malicious interest and in wondering over Barbara’s treatment by Morrell. Hamlin was still in the clutch.of the sav- age passion that had seized him with the realization that Morrell had dared to do what he had done; and each foot of the taxi’s progress toward the Dragon added something to his determination to make Morrell pay amply for the outrage. The taxi reached lower Broadway at last, slipped into a side street, away from the traffic jams that had retarded its speed; veered when it reached another corner; bobbed for a short distance over cobble- stones, and came to a sudden stop at the curb in front of the Dragon. Hamlin paid the driver, seized Frayne by an arm, and led him through the outside door—into the narrow hall in which he had made his last stand, when he had floored the silken-clad knife-bearer. Frayne was still silent. He had said no word during the ride, sitting back on the seat, pressing a handkerchief to his macer- ated lips. He said no word now as he and Hamlin stood before the closéd door—the inside door where the last phase of the fight had come—where the bodies of men had lain as proof of Hamlin’s terrific pun- ishing ability. ‘You know how to get in,” Hamlin coldly. Frayne knocked peculiarly on the door. After an instant a slide came open and the slitlike eyes of an inmate looked out, ex- amined both men with deliberation, and vanished. _Then slowly the door swung back, Frayne and Hamlin stepped in, and the door was closed behind them by the owner of the slit eyes. The change from the clear white day- light to the hazy radiance of the interior of the Dragon caused Hamlin’s eyes invol- untarily to blink: and while he stood for suggested Go NOOK C@ 5}