Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 16, 1921 — page 41: what you’re looking at

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

We jee t, & by/ John Frederick Author of “Lack,” “€ross-Roads,” ete. WHAT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED . O Jerry-on-the-Hill, the inn kept by John Northam, who fought under Cromwell, come two ladies with their coachman, who seems to be very familiar with them. He asks John Northam for a man who might escort them up to London, but the stern Puritan replies that he has no one to send, His son, however, Samson Integrity, who has caught a glimpse of the face of the younger lady, announces that he will be glad to go, which, when James Crofts, the coachman, reports, elicits from Lady Malvern the exclamation: “Go with a Northam driving? Are you mad?” And from Kate, the daughter, “ I’d go with the fiend himself to get to London,” which declaration is capped by her mother with, ‘‘ Go on then without me. Desert me here. I ask for nothing.” CHAPTER VIII. HOMAGE, HE coachman banished his smile, ex- changed glances with Kate and took the hand of the distressed lady. “There is no cause for fear,’”’ he said. “The most formidable thing about this fellow is his name. God.’a’ Mercy! He’s called Samson Integrity! Ha, ha, ha! Samson Integrity upon my honor, But in the courtyard when the wind blew the viz- ard from Kate’s face, he saw her. Do you remember how he stood like a stone by the door? He was entranced, I swear. ‘If you serve them you will be well paid,’ said I. ‘ Pay?’ said he, looking at me so. ‘ I have seen her; I am paid beforehand!’ Ha, ha, ha! Kate, Ill put this in your record and by my word it shall be in a tuppenny ballad two days after you reach London. ‘ One glance turned the limbs of the swain to marble and his heart to gold!’ ” He burst again into Homeric laughter. ‘‘ Kate,” sighed her mother, “ at times you are useful!” “T am glad you have found me so.” “But we can’t have the fellow tagging us about in London.” ‘“‘ Easily handled,” said the coachman.. “‘ If he grows obnoxious I’ll have the colonel ° take a few of his brave bullies and cudgel him out of town. Or stop—he’s a gentle- man, and I am out of exercise. At any rate, to London first; and there you’ll find that all worries cease.” “* What I have always told you, my dear,” murmured Lady Malvern. “ Bring in the young bear-cub then, Master Crofts.”’ And she picked up her vizard, an ex- ample which her daughter immediately fol- lowed. “One moment,” said the coachman. ““ By my advice you'll let our hero see Kate alone.”’ . ‘““ Unchaperoned!”’ cried the mother, and raised her fat hands in horror. ‘““ Why not?” asked the girl calmly. ‘ Go on, James.” ‘T shall be waiting at the door and will enter at the first suspicious noise. You, madam, can leave your door djar when you retire to your own room. But see him alone she certainly must. If the first glance This story began in the Argosy-Allstory Weekly for April 9. 32 2A Go DOOK C@