Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 45: what you’re looking at

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

- $0 THIS IS ~ Tucker nodded. ‘“ Most everybody seems to have it,’ he agreed. “ My grandsire, he died of what they called inflammation of the bowels in them days; but Doc Pettee tells me what he prob’ly had was this ap- pendix thing. Only they didn’t know: noth- in’ about it them times.” He stood there, regarding the Slapper in a friendly way. - * Letty sez you want board? Who was it recommended Wedlock?’’ 3 “My doc told me to beat it up to Maine. No place special. In Bangor I asks a feller and he names a half dozen places. This was one. So I dropped off here. They told me they was lots of fresh air.”’ “That’s right. I dunno as any place has more’n we have. Ma!” Tucker bawled startlingly, causing the stranger to jump. Mrs. Tucker, still wearing her visiting clothes, waddled fatly down the hall to stand at her husband’s shoulder. “This young feller—what’s your name? Harris? Well, Mr. Harris ‘lows he wants to board with us a spell. Fix him up, can we? He’s had his appendix took out.” Tucker’s last statement sounded exactly — as if one were speaking of some venomous creature, rendered harmless through having his fangs drawn. But obviously he meant nothing of the sort. It was merely a bit of interesting news in a place where news of any sort was precious, Mrs. Tucker, plump and comfortable, smiled. ~ “ Must of come down with me from Ban- gor,” she remarked. “I been visiting my half-sister there.” | The Slapper nodded. “ Likely, ma’am. I didn’t see you in the smoker, though.” “ Haw-haw!’ laughed Tucker. ‘““Ma riding in a smoker. That’s rich, that is!” “T guess we can put you up,” the lady decided. ‘‘ How much was you wantin’ to = pay?” The applicant didn’t know, and passed the buck back to her. “Well, I s’pose you’ll want your washin’ done. And things is high sence the war. I don’t see how we can afford to ask less’n six dollars a week.” -The Slapper- gulped. = “That means ‘board, too?” he ——— a merely the friendly outreaching- of one - at WEDLOCK) == = so - “Why, of course. We set a plain table, but there’s always enough, sech as ’tis. Not 2 fancy things like you git in the city. oie : plain grub.” SJe8 —- “You gotta new boarder,” said the Siap= he hired girl, Letty Dean, showed him to his room. It was somewhat larger than. the entire apartment of the Polack, and its - bed was a four-poster; not one of the fine — pineapple top sort, but with simple lathe-- turned maple posts. There was a mighty — bureau the size of a portable garage, three chairs and a table. Letty had fetched up — a big mulberry pitcher of fresh water which -- = A she set upon the washstand, on whose rack Z hung a regiment of clean towels, Acake S of yellow soap stood in its dish. The gitl turned to go back downstairs. Re = - “Supper’s ready, when you’ve washed = up,” she said pleasantly. _ == = The boy brought a keen appetite, weet by the salt air. He was helped to a pote plate of fish hash. There were seed cookies, - two kinds of pie, cottage cheese, various jams and preserves, sour pickles, hot tea. Ze The meal was strictly a business affair; no-_ 2 body made any unnecessary talk. Mrs. : ‘Tucker saw to it that their boarder had ~ enough of everything on the table. E Letty sat down with them, and once or ve twice she caught the Slapper’s eye and smiled. But it wasn’t at all the sort of — smile he had so often encountered in restau-— = = rants back home. There was nothing in- — vitatory in it; nothing bold. It seemed — % ele, : iy y e ee by 14 ABER: AW AS AS th Ae aK a pod is young creature to another, a stranger whom _ ee she wished to make welcome. Curiously, if S disturbed him much more than any smile - ~~ that had ever been cast his way. He ate = ae prodigiously, and hurriedly; ‘but he was glad when the meal wasover. : = For half an hour or so he sat in oe = dusk with Tucker, upon the stone step at the front door. It seemed suddenly - cold to him; but the old man was in his s oe sleeves. They spoke but little; and at last — Tucker said: “ W’al, it’s been a long day. — Reckon Jl] turn in. Got to git an ae start to-morrer.” = =< = To his surprise, although the hour as <= announced By the bell. in: the church steeple oO == = = _€omicbook ae