Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 7, 1925 — page 164: what you’re looking at

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

634 ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. Al McGurl suddenly held his breath. When his eldest Se looked hke that he was afraid. ““ Doctor, “the > young man will stay,” Patricia said with dignity. ‘“ Nobody can say that the McGurls turned a fellow erea- ture out to die i in the ditch. Now, hush your row, all of you.” She quit the kitchen’ where this conference was being held, clos- ing the door to the sick room with sig- nificant finality. “That girl will make a need nurse—a splendid nurse,” the doctor approved. He, too, vanished to give her instructions. Al McGurl uttered a hollow groan and trans- ferred his anger to his patient wife. Tf, PATRICTA’s face was the first thing George Kay recognized after an interminable con- fusion of time. That alert, vital, tanned little visage with its sprinkle of freckles across the short nose was his first link be- tween past and present. It recalled the gate with the broken palings and a dim memory of the little town and its other in- hospitable gates. But beyond that was only a dim confusion, a nightmare of muddy fields, of falls into ditches, nothing more. It made his head pain fearfully to tty to piece all that together. The man’s strength came back readily. His convalescence was satisfactory to Dr. Reed and a source of vast pride to Patricia, who had added ene more triumph to her long list of patients including the goat. But his memory halted peculiarly at the recol- lection of the town and its gates and Patricia. “He’s nothing but a half wit!?? Al Mc- Gurl exclaimed in disgust. ‘ They'll be taking him off to the asylum!” Dr. Reed shook his head. “ He’s all right, Perfectly sane and normal, never fear. It’s only his memory that’s gone and that’s probably the fever. It will wear off in time. Why, he’s talking already about finding some kind of work so he-can pay off the expense he’s caused us—” McGurl brightened. “Is he now? Sure, I'll have a little taik with the fellow. I can use a hand in the garage—” Tet’s see—ten dollars a week. half of it toward my expense and give you “A fine idea,” the doctor agreed. “ “Only see he has light work for a while—” “He can mind the gas pump,’ McGurl decided. “‘ Later, maybe he can be of use to me. He looks strong. If he’s any good he can board with us and Ill pay him— Pll Keep the Soe isa on 2 as bill, = he added = ‘« i eis you'll de that,” the iene con- ceded dryly. THT. Tuey called him George, for he could re- member no other name. He took up his duties in the garage with a will, eager to -re- pay his debt. He made his home in the barn where the goat had lived, converting an old storeroom inte passable quarters. Al McGurl saw to it that he earned his ten dollars a week. George was made a very useful man. Besides supplying gas, oil and water to the many cars that stopped, he was given plenty of hard, dirty jobs. When a car was to be washed, George washed it. Such mucky tasks as draining crank cases and cleaning out the drip pans fell to him without argument, and he ac- cepted them without question. George was strong, too, incredibly strong. When McGurl had occasion to put a car on trestles to get at the gears or the rear end, he no longer used jacks or chain gear. He called in George who bowed his back and lifted. George was strong, but slow and hope- lessly clumsy with hands and head. Before the mechanical problems of machinery he was helpless, fit to de exactly what he was told to do and no more; utterly incapable of putting together aie he took apart. “Look at that, will you?” McGurl would rave. “ Can’t even trust you to get a casket on right! gers—” ‘Tm not a mechanic, Mr. McGul—” “No, and you never will be! Hell!” Cee a what Ertter fin- McGurl growled and grumbled and drove. and taunted from dawn to dark. He was collecting his debt with interest. bore with him for he acknowledged the ob- ligation, George — =comICchHboOoKS.coO ’ ‘ahs