Page:Arthur Stringer - The Door of Dread.djvu/125

 to her help. She knew, intuitively, what Dorgan's next demand would be, and she was resolved that its utterance should be withheld as long as possible. So it was with a show of sudden hot resentment that she jumped up from her chair and fusilladed him with her quick volleys of indignation.

"But I wantta know the reason for all this rough-house," she stormed with a violence that made him wince. "I wantta know the meanin' of all this gumshoein' and door-lockin' and gun-play. And just why'd that pork-eyed gink wit' the sword-marks gimme the chase up over the cat-teasers? And jus' why'd yuh root me out o' this decent palm-readin' emporium and try to make me a runner-in for a bunch o' papers I don't know nothin' about and I don't b'lieve are worth a tradin' stamp?"

"Haven't you any idea what those papers are?" demanded Dorgan.

"The only thing I've gotta an idea about is that my floatin' ribs are sure achin' for a six-course dinner! I ain't no freight-jumper, and bein' throwed around by a couple o' wild-eyed boobs ain't my idea of indoor sports! And what t'ell am I goin' to git out o' being man-hauled by a he-butler that looks like a missin' link and then finished off by that