Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 124, No. 3 — page 161: what you’re looking at

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

HOW MANY CARDS? elementary instance, if I mentioned the word ‘ feather,’ you might associate it with ‘bird,’ or ‘ hat,’ or ‘ pillow,’ or ‘ duster,’ or ‘quill pen.’ Do I make myself clear?” “ Damned silly little game, to me!”’ Wav- erley grunted. ‘‘ Why not ‘ Button, but- ton ’?” “Perhaps that would not be inappro- priate, Mr. Waverley!’’ Terhune retorted in perfect good humor. “ Are you ready, Basset ?”’ ‘“ Ready, sir.” The reply came prompt- ly from behind the screen-and immediately a low-humming sound reached their ears. They all sat in silence while Terhune shuffied his papers for a moment and then spoke: “We will commence with you, Mr. O’Rourke, if you don’t object.” At his first utterance a number had flashed upon the projection sheet and mechanically the eyes of all save the man he addressed turned to it, only to see it vanish and be replaced in rapid succession by others vary- ing only slightly in value. ‘“‘ You under- stand what I require, do you not?”’ ‘“T think so.””. Mr. O’Rourke cleared his jthroat. ‘‘ You just want to know my first ' thought after hearing the word. e Isn’t that it?” ‘ Precisely. We will start, then, with the word ‘ life.’ ” ‘“Enjoyment!”” The reply came with a boyish chuckle and forgetting the warning as to brevity he added: “‘ A good time!” McCarty, as he listened, thought it very like the graceless young scamp of long ago, and the naive candor of the admission seemed to arouse an infectious amusement, for a little smile came to the faces of all except Alexander. ‘ Enjoyment.” Terhune spoke in a de- liberate monotone. “That’s what I~ said,” responded O’Rourke. ‘ You wanted the truth, you know.” ‘“ You mistake me, Mr. O’Rourke. I was not commenting. ‘ Enjoyment ’ is the sec- ond word.” “Qh, sport!’’, ‘* Money.” ‘ Debts, may the devil take them!” ejac- ulated the irrepressible young man ruefully. dO The numbers, now, were flashing jerkily before them. - ‘“Love.” Terhune’s voice was levelly impersonal, but when the reply came, after a pause, it was lower, almost reverent: cé Wife.”’ P ‘“ Friend,’’ went on Terhune. ‘Nicholas Cutter!” smile and a sidelong glance. 7 Creveling.” A longer pause than before, and then O’Rourke replied very gravely: Cs Death.” ‘* Scandal.” | ‘“ Lies!” the young man exclaimed, flush- ing. “ ‘“ Grief.” , “Tony.” The unexpected answer came promptly, as though O’Rourke’s thoughts had been abruptly switched into a new ' channel and his voice was filled with warm- hearted tenderness and regret. ‘* Shot.” ) ‘Had to be.” The fact that this was an impersonal test had evidently been forgot- ten. “ There was no other way.” ‘ Murder.” ‘ Nothing of the sort!” indignantly. was a mercy to the poor brute! ”’ Wade Terhune -folded the first paper, upon which as he voiced his questions he had been making rapid annotations, with alternate glances from O’Rourke to the pro- jection sheet. “That will do, Mr. O’Rourke,” he said with a smile. “We have been at cross purposes during the latter part of the test, of It but your replies are significant, neverthe- less. May I ask who ‘ Tony’ is, or was?” “My dog.” O’Rourke’s tones trembled slightly. ‘‘ The finest setter in the coun- ty—I brought him from home, you see— and he was nearer human than anything that ever ran on four legs! He was old and blind, but my wife wouldn’t hear of anything being done to him until to-day, when the vet said he was suffering from a’cancer. I put him out of his misery my- self with a single shot.” ‘I understand now.” Terhune selected another paper from the wos he held upon his knee. ‘“ Mr. Waverley, can we induce you to play in our little game next?”’ COUMIUC AOOLK This came witha . Colin