Adventure, August 3, 1919 — page 156: what you’re looking at

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

146 in the waiting-room doorway and for a time dispiritedly watched the down at the far end of the freight house. He certainly was feeling blue. AFTER supper he had stopped 2] in at Duncan’s before returning to the station. Ina had met him at the door. By his expression she imme- diately perceived that he brought bad news. “Our wedding is off—for a while!”’ he blurted out, “I’ve been fired.” “Oh, Andy!” she faltered. “How? Why?” Into her sympathetic ears he quickly poured his sad tale. “The nasty old thing!” she said in- dignantly when he had finished. “I’d just like to get my fingers in his hair a minute; I’d shake some sense into him!” It is indicative of Andy’s extreme misery that he did not even smile at that—the superintendent’s crown being so devoid of hair that it would have been impossible to get anything approximating a grasp of it. “T was looking at Lane’s bungalow, too,” she continued. ‘‘Just this afternoon. It’s —it’s the dearest little house.” She put her face close to his. “Couldn’t we— couldn’t we be married anyway, Andy?” “We could,” he replied, “but we won’t. Not till I get a job.” “You could find one afterward,” she said. “T'll find one first,” he had answered, and forthwith he had torn himself away. For, despite his firmness, he felt himself weakening, and that, he felt, was a poor thing to do under the circumstances, IN CONSEQUENCE Andy now pee brooded in the doorway of the = station while he contemplated the lively steel gang. Presently he strolled down toward them, found a spike keg lying near the side ‘of the freight house, up-ended it and sat down just outside the circle of light. One ‘“‘Memphis Joe” was performing at the time. Directly Mem- phis—as he was called for short—cut a es figure in his clog and concluded his whir “*Nough!” he cried and dropped down against the freight house, close to where Andy sat. Cries now arose for “Steamboat! Steam- boat!” Faces were turned expectantly toward the side of the ring directly ss the agent. on, Steamboat! Be a spoht!” “No, Suh!” reiterated Steamboat. “Don’ bother’ me!” Thereupon, hacia to be es another aspirant for acclaim stepped to the center. Agent And: leaned tee ward Memphis Joe. 4 “What's the matter with Steamboat, Memphis?” ‘Don’ know, Mistuh Agent. Steamboat, vet eres day. He didn’ go out wi e gang—didn’ help la rail a-tall today.” oa “Sore at the { foreman?” Memphis Joe shook his head. “No, I don’ think so. Don’ pe whut ’tis.”’ “Maybe he’s worrying about the coming cold weather,” suggested Andy. Maybe he wants to travel South?” “That might be,” agreed Memphis. “I heard him say no col’ weather wasn’t goin’ ketch him up here. He’s blowed that, w’'en he did go South ag’in, he’s goin’ well- heeled—with his pockets full ‘nough to keep him ’thout workin’ till nex’ Spring.” “And he hasn’t got the money yet, eh?” “No, suh! Jest this minute I bet Steam- boat ain’t got ’nough in his jeans to take him half-way back to Vicksburg, whar whar he come from.” “Well, day after tomorrow is pay-day, e observed Andy. “He'll get some then.” “He'll draw "bout the same as me for the las’ two weeks,” pong M * "Bout forty dollars. An’ forty dollars ain’t goin’ ke no man over Winter.” “That's t,’ assented Peck. “So then, if Steamboat goes back soon, it looks like his blow was no “Sure do! An’ say,” Boss, E hadn’ thought of it much before, but I’ll bet you’ve done hit it! I'll bet that’s whut is puttin’ Steamboat in sechastedy. He wantsthat — ger s0’s he eo he aaa" got it Ant