Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 44: what you’re looking at

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

5u “ That’s what you want, you damned fool?” he said. ‘‘ Galahad, I ‘called you. Think you’ve won out, you and that lit- Whatever the epithet, it died on Car- ter’s swelling lips as Jimmy sprang in with a straight jolt fair on the mouth, trading it for a smash that caught him high up on the cheek and a wallop over the heart that had weight and strength behind it. Carter closed, trying to throw him and Thorpe hammered him hard over the kid- neys before he was forced to wrestle. Carter had skill and poundage. He forced Jimmy back against the table. It slid before them, bringing up against the flimsy partition wall. Carter tried for a crotch hold, his forearm against Thorpe’s throat, forcing back his head, trying to close off his wind, force him over the table and pound the strength out of him. He had the advantage of the rush, he deliberately used foul tactics, and for the moment he had all the best of it. The table had served many storekeepers, its leg, broken and hastily mended, gave way, and the two went crashing to the floor. The instant his shoulders touched the planks Jimmy put out a dynamic burst of strength and they went rolling, inter- locked, crashing into the easy chair, a flail- ing, whirling mass of panting fury, bringing up against the far wall with Thorpe atop. The plaster had been ‘torn off Carter’s face, and blood streamed from the score of Peggy Dineen. It smeared their white clothes. Jimmy’s fists were red with it as he drove them into Carter’s features. They were his mark as the other heaved under him, smashing at his ribs, lunging with his knees, twisting his head from side to side to avoid the blows. Jimmy had been told by a pal of his, a is sergeant who held the champion- ship of his division, that a man.who is hand- some, or thinks he is, is handicapped from the fear of losing his beauty. Jimmy cared little for his own face; he “wanted to make a pulp of Carter’s. He had the insults to the girl to wipe out first, and then his own, and every blow he thudded home was backed with righteous wrath. — Carter was out of condition, but he was” ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. strong with the huskiness of a magnificent body that had done its best to resist abuse. He got his arms up between Tho gripped his windpipe, a thumb %n’ the jugular, shutting off the vein. Swift dizzi- ness assailed Thorpe, energy seemed to flow out of him. He felt himself being heaved aside, the bloody face of Carter leering up at him like the visage of a savage beast through gathering mist. He swung one blow and felt the impact on bone. Instant- ly the pressure on his throat relaxed and he rolled weakly to one side as Carter’s head thumped against the skirting board - from the punch that connected flush with his jaw. IX. Jimmy got to his knees and so to his feet, swaying a little but full of fight though his head was throbbing with released blood pressure and his ears sang. Carter was not out. The blow had lacked power and exact direction. His eyes opened and he groaned. “Get up,” said Jimmy in two gasps. “ Get up—and take your medicine.” Neither of them now saw the opened inner door with the girl standing in it, keeping back the excited Faata. - Peggy Dineen had taken charge of both the guns. She stood with one in either hand, leaning forward, her Irish eyes alight, fixed on Jimmy Thorpe in undisguised admiration. Carter looked at his opponent unbeliev- ingly. He grunted and hunched himself up on his shoulders. « There was nothing in his glance of gratitude for the sporting chance allowed him, nor did Thorpe desire or expect it. He wasn’t through with Car- ter yet. He stood back to let the other get up, striving to get back his own breath that was still uncertain. As he filled his lungs he felt a sharp pain in his lower ribs. Either Carter had splintered one of them or the table had done it. Carter drew his legs under him, hands on the floor, taking his time. He got up, wiped away the blood from his lips and out of his eyes, and cleared his mouth. Jimmy saw with an unholy joy that a wees tooth was missing. _ “ Here’s where you lose, Galahad,” said Carter. _t ‘$s and- Eomichooks (Q) (E©) m z