At the same moment Carroll's cab stopped on the other angle of the
curb. The occupant put forth his head, saw the goggled freak
descending to the legless freak, and sat back again.
"Hola, Pancho! Are you ill?" asked the newcomer.
The beggar only swung back and forth, muttering with frenzied
rapidity. With one hand the Unspeakable Perk stopped him, as one
might intercept the runaway pendulum of a clock, setting the other
on his forehead. Then he bent and brought his goblin eyes to bear
on the dark face. The features were distorted, the eyelids
tremulous over suffused eyes, and the teeth set. Opening the man's
loose shirt, Perkins thrust his hand within. It might have been
supposed that he was feeling for the heart action, were it not
that his hand slid past the breast and around under the arm. When
he drew it out, he stood for a moment with chin dropped, in
consideration.
Midday heat had all but cleared the plaza. As he looked about, the
helper saw no aid, until his eye fell upon the waiting cab. He
fairly bounded up the stairs, calling something to the coachman.
"No," grunted that toiler, with the characteristic discourtesy of
the Caracunan lower class, and jerked his head backward toward his
fare.
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