Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 75: what you’re looking at

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

_ He threw his basket of envelopes at them and staggered feebly to his private office, Rudolph Reed bearing up his limp form. V. J. K. Bievitt had his arms on his desk top and his head buried in his arms. From time to time he still shook unexpectedly with violent emotion. Rudolph Reed came in from the outer office. ‘‘I got them untangled at last,” he reported, ‘“ Everybody has his own envel- ope and is happy.” J. K. Blevitt gave a deep, ghastly groan. ‘Let me alone! Just let me alone, can’t you!” “All right, J. K.,” Reed agreed soothing- ly. ‘ All right!” From the outer office came a sudden burst of song. It was the jackass barytone of Simms Daly, warbling happily, jubilantly: “Till the sands of the de-hes-ert grow co-ho-o-o-o-ld And the scrolls of the he-heavens un- {o-ho-o0-0-0-ld—” “ No!” J, K. Blevitt screamed, leaping from his chair, ‘‘ No, no, no!” ‘No, what?” asked Rudolph Reed, look- ing up from the statement he was studying. “ Till the sa-hands—of the—de-hesert, grow co-o-old!” Simms Daly brayed. Reed shuddered, ‘“ Ghastly, isn’t it?” “T won’t have it!”’ shouted J. K. Blevitt hoarsely. ‘‘ I won’t. Why should 1? This is my business, isn’t it? I'll fire that in- fernal goat-getter to-day!” Rudolph Reed started to nod enthusiastic agreement, Then a sudden frown checked his nod, “Oh, I say, J. K., this is Christ- mas!” “JT don’t give a whoop what it is, Ru- dolph.” “Be fair, J. K. Be fair! He is an— er—goat-getter, as you say. He gets on everybody’s nerves, yes. But you wouldn’t throw a man out of a job to-day! The day before Christmas—” “Td throw that pest out of a job on his wedding day—if I had a chance!” “No,” Reed said: firmly. “No, you wouldn’t, Think it over. Spirit of the sea- THE GOAT-GETTER. son, J. K.! ‘ Peace on earth, good will to- ward men—’ ” | ‘““* Peace on earth’! How are you going to get peace even in this office while that jackass bays the moon?” | ‘ Jackasses don’t bay the moon—dogs may,” Reed smiled, In spite of his temper, J. K. Blevitt’s lips twitched. “ Well, anvhow, Dll get rid of that bird a long time before the sands of the desert grow cold! You watch my smoke—”’ ‘Surely! But not to-day!” “Well—all right,” Blevitt conceded grudgingly. “ Have it your own way!” Reed rose, his business finished. At the door he paused. “I don’t know why I should fight Daly’s battles,” he burst out. “ Hanged if I do! He gets my goat, too, you know!” | Reed took the puzzle to his own deskeer in his own office. He was still wondering irritably why it was he always averted the ax from the neck of Simms Daly when the door burst open and Simms Daly presented himself with a loud, cackling: “ Well, well, well! Greetings, Rudolph!” Reed looked up, in his eyes the cold, steady regard he sometimes used to squelch objectionable pests. ‘“‘ Yes, Daly?” Simms Daly was not feazed by Reed’s death-ray eyes. The paralyzing chill of their steady glance ricocheted harmlessly from his thick complacence. Daly pulled up a chair uninvited and Jaid a hand on Reed’s arm. Reed hastily moved the arm, but Daly’s hand followed it with a reassuring, friendly pat. Reed set his teeth and endured. “ Well, Daly?” ‘“ How’s my sales record?”’ Daly demand- ed. “ Made a pretty fair little showing the three months I’ve been with Blevitt, eh, Rudolph?” Yes,” Reed said grudgingly, but always fair. “Yes. Very tidy.” “You said it, Rudolph! Tidy’s the word. Pretty darn tidy, if you ask me. You know, Rudolph, I’ve done just about fifty per cent better than any man with Blevitt to-day. Now, haven’t 1?” “Your record speaks for itself, Daly.” “It certainly does. You know, Rudolph, it just occurred to me iff vest leave