Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 126: what you’re looking at

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

752 you would get it all, naturally. My idea is this—you believe you could manage a newspaper if you had a chance; I know of one that is on its last legs and the whole plant can be picked up cheap. It’s out in Denver; I'll give you a reasonable salary as managing editor and a free hand. What do you say?” Walter jumped to his feet and shook his brother’s hand enthusiastically. “ Jim,” he cried, “you’re a brick! I know I can make good on that—and then— then!” He walked to the bureau, and picked up the silver-framed photograph. “ Walter!” An odd quality in his brother’s tone caused the younger man to turn suddenly. As he met the other’s cold eyes, a curious feeling of antagonism, entirely foreign to his nature, took possession of him. “ There is something else I wish to tell you,” continued James evenly. “I am go- ing to marry Elinor.” Water stared at him, his face growing slowly white. “You are going to marry Elinor,” he re- peated uncomprehendingly, “‘ you mean you have asked her? She has engaged herself to you?” James hesitated. ‘“No—not yet,” he replied slowly. “ But she will. And why not?” he went on re- covering his assurance. ‘“‘ Have you any claim that I have not? When, as a little girl, she used to spend the summers with her grandmother at Newfane, we were equally her attendants; has it been any dif- ferent since, at almost the same time, we renewed her acquaintance here? You know she has always lived in comparative luxury, but her father’s death has altered things materially. I happen to know there is little left, and she has her mother and two young sisters to think of. What have you to offer her? Even with my help—” Walter set the photograph down and turned toward his brother with eyes in which amazement, dawning understanding, bitter disappointment, and contempt rap- idly followed each other. “Your help!” he repeated with a short laugh, “ your help—” ARGOSY -ALLSTORY WEEKLY. “—it would be years before you would be in a position to support a wife,” con- tinued James, ignoring the interruption. “T am a rich man now, and will be richer. ff you really love her you will consider her interests as well as your own. Iam a good match; you—are not.” For a moment Walter stood staring at his brother. “TI see,” he said at last slowly. “ You are trying to buy what you cannot win. I am sorry for you, James. Sorry that in learning to make money you have sacri- ficed your sense of self-respect and decency. But strange as it may seem to you, neither Elinor nor I is for sale. I—I think you had better go,” he added harshly, feeling his self-control weakening. James picked up his hat quietly. “I am sorry this has come between us, Walter,” he replied, “ but I am accustomed to facing positions as they are, not as I wish they were. My offer is still open. Think over what I have said.” Left alone, Walter sank into a chair and buried his face in his hands. There was truth in what his brother had said, he ad- mitted bitterly, but the sense of his inalien- able right as a man to win if he could the woman he loved, without regard to extrane- ous conditions, was strong within him. He was furiously angry at, and bitterly disappointed in, James, too. He had al- ways looked up to his brother; having an unselfish pride in his achievements and suc- cess and believing him as incapable of any- thing approaching meanness as he was him- self. What right had James to assume that Elinor would look only on the material side? What right had he to assume that he— Walter—would never succeed in his chosen profession. It was impertinence and worse. “JT will see Elinor at once!” he said aloud. “I’ve been a fool to let things drift so long.” And without stopping to dress, he caught up his hat and coat, and went out. Elinor Allington was a charming, if not beautiful, girl, with the vivid coloring, the lithe free grace of movement, and the per- fect poise that comes of much out-of-door . life and healthful exercise. TA Comicoooks (E@