Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 110: what you’re looking at

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

her that Judge Braid had dined the evening Betore with a young lady who was not his Wife. Then followed this report: Mrs. Murry is an elderly lady, rather motherly-looking, and save for her somewhat soulful-looking eyes, is not the type of the usual clairvoyant. From under the brim of her old-fashioned bonnet, ticd with ribbons under her chin, she gazed at the judge in all Seriousness as she delivered her ‘“ message.” Judge Braid sputtered in confusion, but whether her “ information was correct, he did not say. It is alleged that Mrs. Murry has been prac- ticing her trade of clairvoyant in the down town district, where she has been purport- ing to give information and “ messages” per- taining to the movements of the stock market. She will be held for General Sessions, without bail. ‘ My word!” Sam grunted, and over the top of the paper he stared out of the win- dow with startled eyes. ‘“‘ Purporting!’’ he broke out in derision. ‘I rather think she has been ‘ purporting!’ ”’ He knew that it was up to him to do something; but what? Of course there was no shadow of proof that the old lady whom he had saved from the truck and Mrs. Murry were one and the same person, and this much he allowed quite cheerfully; but then he turned right around and decided that he had better get her a lawyer. Sam told himself that he owed her this much, and that it was only decent that he should pay his debt. With this idea in mind he searched out Joe Borden and told him that he had immediate use for a law- yer. Whom could he recommend? “ John Woods,” Joe returned without hesitation. ‘‘ But he'll stick you an awful bill.” ‘‘That’s the man,” Sam _ answered. “Write his address on this card.” ’ Sam reached the door, opened it, and stood face to face with Constance Gunning. _ “Why—why!” he gasped. ‘‘ Well— where have you been?” « Father took me out to Aunt Martha’s nade her promise to keep me there. I yy at 1 came back as soon as I could. told me I’d find you over here, xe?” She gasped for breath. L'll tell you about it. We're going first to a jail, where I’m going to try to see a frie of mine, then we’re going toa lawyer's, and after that we're going to buy a car and go to some State where they don’t ask you to wait an unheard number of days—after ou get a li i as icense—before you can get mar- ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. “Is it as much as that?” she asked, as they reached the street. | “As what?” *““ The money you’ve made?” ‘It’s more,” he assured her. “ It’s not only enough for me to marry you, but it's enough to support you!” A short time later, with a ten-dollar bill showing conspicuously between his fingers, Sain interviewed an official who was not at all! in favor of Sam’s plan. He caught sight of the money at this moment and led Sam through a series of halls and doors until he came to a cell in which a woman was sit- ting on a chair, apparently perfectly con- tented with her surroundings. Mrs. Murry was large, tall, raw-boned, gawky, and awkward. In a daze Sam glanced about the cell and his eyes lit on a black bonnet, with brilliant red cherries fastened about the brim. * Take me aivay,” he breathed to the official. ‘‘ I’ve seen enough. And all I’ve got to say is that I have a fine opinion of that newspaper man’s imagination and his idea of an old-fashioned bonnet.” The official led the way back to where they had left Constance. ‘‘We don’t have to go to the lawyer’s,” Sam explained when they reached the street. “It was a mistake.” He turned to the driver and gave the address of the building on Twelfth Street. ‘ Il pick up a bag,” he said as the car rolled away. “ Then we'll stop for your things, and after that we'll only hit the high spots till we get to a State that looks awfully good to you.” “ But I want to know why we visited the jail?’” Constance demanded. “Ask me anything but that!” Sam groaned. “‘ Because if I answered you it wouldn’t be the truth, and if I told you the truth you wouldn’t marry me.” “ Sam!” ‘I mean I’m only weak from the chin comicbooks.com