Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 150: what you’re looking at

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

By CYRUS CHAPIN the floor of his comfortable library while the wind howled without and storm- driven sleet flicked against the windows. His socially ambitious wife, despite the weather, had bought her way into the char- ity ball and was gone with friends for the evening. A generous fire burned in an old- fashioned grate. Of late Jim had been read- ing evenings and enjoying peace and con- tentment. To-night there was a plan to be evolved and from his thoughts tranquillity fled to make room for clamorous war! Why, what a fool he was to back another job! He had enough. Yet there was just one more thing he wanted, and this would solve the problem. What Jim longed so to possess was a country place like the one where he was born. It must have neat, sreen hedges, apple trees, a hive or two of bees, a piece of woods with maples,- hickory and walnut trees, a creek running through and a swimming hole with a grassy bank. The eminent impressario of crookdom Je OLIVER, alias Jim the Wise, paced sighed, and brought his thoughts back with a jerk to the present and the job, which was to be his last. Besides, he must not forget that in the plot to be hatched there might be a chance to even up scores for his old friend, Bill the Brute, with that snitch- ing stool, Ikey the Crab. That day had come to Jim the Wise the two remarkably efficient Andover twins, Bob and Tom. Jewelers by birth and training they had long since graduated in their par- ticular forms of thievery, but among the countless fraternity, for honor and veracity they stood unquestioned. When they had first approached Jim with their plan, he had scouted it as being ab- solutely ridiculous and preposterous. Then the very audacity of the twins aroused his admiration and interest, and he had con- sented to talk details. ‘Boys,’ said Jim, “do you actually think I’m strong enough to pull off a stunt like this, or are you just trying to see how far Ill experiment for your benefit?” “We knows you can do it, Mr. Jim,” an- 140 O CoOmmicooolks (S@)