Adventure Magazine Cover — page 46: what you’re looking at

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

802 ‘Well, I buy books sometimes. Look here,” he inquired with a twinkle, ‘‘ you don’t hap- pen now to be any kin to my friends the Fairweathers out in Sunshine, Nebraska, do you?” Spider shook his head soberly. wise to it,” he replied bashfully. The big man gave him a quick humorous glance and laughed pleasantly. ‘‘ Well, let’s see what you’ve got to show,” he said, bend- ing forward encouragingly. “I’m a mark for book-men. What is it?” Spider produced the prospectus with hesi- tating reluctance. ‘‘Perry Goriott,”’ he announced solemnly, handing it to him. The man in the chair turned the leaves perfunctorily, with careless indifference. Suddenly his face sobered, and he raised his eyes in a perplexed stare of startled amaze- ment. ‘“What’s that you called it?” he inquired quickly. There was a note of positive horror in the tone. Spider’s forehead wrinkled doubtfully. Bending forward, he pointed to the title page. “Perry Goriott,’” he repeated humbly with a troubled look. For a brief moment his auditor stared blankly. Then suddenly he choked and, throwing back his head, laughed uproarious- ly. ‘Say,’ he finally blurted out, mopping his eyes, ‘“‘you’re ’way off on that name, neighbor. You ” he stopped and viewed Spider with amused and suspicious interest. “Guess you’re a new hand at peddling books eh?” he inquired quizzically. ‘How long you been at it?” Spider squirmed and nervously twirled his hat faster and faster. His face was a picture of embarrassed gloom. “I only got busy with the game this morning,” he ex- plained dismally. “I dunno what they call the feller.”’ The big man laughed; then he suddenly sobered. ‘‘Look here, neighbor,”’ he said gravely and with gentle emphasis, “‘you mustn’t be hiking round town talking to folks about ‘Perry Goriott.? The author’s name is pronounced ‘Pee-ree Go-Riot.’ See? That’s what we call him out in Ne- braska, where I come from. And you ought to be able to tell the public something about ‘Pee-ree,’ too. He’s a Spaniard and fought with old man Cervera in the Spanish War. Our men fished him out of the water with a boat-hook after the bombardment, as he was ST ain't Adventure swimming toward Moro Castle, end he was taken up to our barracks at Blossomville, Maine, and held for ransom. “While staying there, he induced the Government to allow him to start up a chicken-ranch, and he made a barrel of money for himself. He showed the natives up there some new tricks—how to make every chicken lay two eggs a day was one of them. And those books,” he waved his hand deprecatingly, ‘why, he wrote them while he was up there just to kill time.’ He stopped, and gazed dreamily out of the window, then his eyes wandered back to Spider. “And what particular walk in life, now, did you previously ornament, neigh- bor?” he inquired solicitously. ‘“Who—me?” The Ferret started and stared at him suspiciously. ‘“Yes, what former profession furnished you with weekly meal-tickets?”’ Spider frowned and gazed thoughtfully at the floor. ‘“‘I—I used to beat it for a laundry,” he stammered. The Nebraskan chuckled. ‘‘ Both of them good, clean lines—laundry and literature,” he remarked sententiously, beaming be- nevolently on the Ferret. “Sorry I can’t patronize you, brother,” he said feelingly, ‘“‘but I’m just getting ready to aviate back to God’s own country, Nebraska—that’s good enough for me. To own up, I gripped a live wire here that’s stung me so bad I’m satisfied to shuffle the cards next time in a country where a Billy-goat can’t see over the top of the corn. You see,’’ he waved an informing hand, “‘ most everything is packed up and shipped, but ”’ his eye fell on the two typewriters and he rose hastily to his feet. “That reminds me,” he remarked, ‘I haven’t notified that Simpson Company to call and get the typewriter I rented of them.”’ He started for the telephone, then stopped suddenly with an apologetic laugh. ‘“‘I for- got the blamed telephone was cut out yester- day. Well,” he concluded, “I can write them that I’ve left it with the superintend- ent of the building, I suppose.” Spider gave the typewriters a sharp, critical glance. One was apparently brand new. The other rested on a table, sheathed in its tin cover, but outwardly looked to be in perfect condition. The Ferret rose to his feet and stood hesitating. “Guess I'll beat it, mister, ” he said de- murely. “But if you ‘want to write a letter C© MICLOOOKS CO