Argosy All-Story Weekly, July 11, 1925 — page 63: what you’re looking at

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

THE INNOCENT. He looked around slowly, and ihen up- ward toward the rear of the house. His homely face became wistful. “Tt’s sort of a paradise with a serpent in it. If we can throw out the snake it ’ll be perfect.” He found Beth’s gentle brown eyes re- garding him with scme curiosity. ‘“* Allegory!” she exclaimed. ‘‘ And your English is quite pure. I always thought that the people of the cattle country had a dialect all their own.”’ “Did you expect me to flourish six- shooters and bark out swear words?” ‘“‘ No. But—I didn’t know that your men were as well educated a3 you seem to be.” “T’m not,” he replied soberly. “I wish I was. But the old ideas have changed. We have a grammar school in Gray Butte that would knock your eye out. We have a movie theater. We get magazines and news weeklies. There’s a radio outfit in the ranch house. The old ways have gone.” “ But they must have been wonderfully picturesque!” “ And uncomfortable. Oh, Ill grant that the old days were big days; my dad used to tell me stories that curled my hair. But give me the modern improvements. Why, I can sit on the porch of my ranch house and look at my cattle while the radio tells me the latest Chicago quotations on beef!”’ ‘That doesn’t sound very romantic,” she demurred. “All right. I can sit on my ranch house porch and watch the sunset throw gold on the hills while Galli-Curci sings from a corner of the living room. Beat that!” “ That’s better.” She nodded. “ Now I envy you.” “Td like to have you see it. Another telegram!” A messenger slipped through the front gateway. The wire came from far down the San Joaquin Valley: This is hell. Burned out connection rod bearing. Will fix it in two hours. Garage man saw our guests, but we said we were taking escaped maniacs home and we got away with it. Shorty is dying of heart failure, and we hope you are the same. Sum. “Ts it bad news?” asked Beth, studying _ Steve's face. Hello! 217 ‘“ Not yet,” said Steve grimly, tearing up the missive. A loud voice intruded from the front of | the house. It was.the fat man, pleading passicnately to Paula: “Don’t turn me down without thinkin’ it over. You’ve got the class and I’ve got the coin, Paula, and we’d make a swell team, you and me. [I know I look rough, Paula, but I gotta good heart and it’s strong for you!” : “Heavens!” gasped Beth, arising from the stone seat. The mighty bawl grew louder and more intense: ‘““ My God, Paula, I love you! Nix, nix; don’t jump up like that, Paula. I ain’t an enemy, Paula; I’m a slave! Can’t you see how I’ve watched you, longed for you— gone dippy over you—took every chance I could to get near you because my heart was burnin’ for you? Why, Paula, you’re the queen of the earth to me! I’ve seen lots — o’ queens, Paula; I ain’t any spring chick- en, I'll admit; but when it comes to class you've got it on ’em all. Gimme a chance, Paula; look me over—”’ Steve saw Beth staring toward the house, her lips parted and her eyes showing an- guish and amusement. “The poor man!” she exclaimed, with a little catch in her voice. “ The poor, poor man!” “Well, he’s frank anyhow!” admitted Steve, starting to roll a cigarette. ‘“ Noth- ing sneaky about it; he comes right out and tells the whole city!” “ But how terrible for Paula! wish it were some one else!” Steve’s eyes were quizzical as they looked into Beth’s. “Oh,” he mused. “ Hamilton, eh?” Beth colored. 3 “TI didn’t mean it that way. That’s not fair to Paula.” “ No; still if Hamilton did start some- thing, she wouldn’t throw him out, would she?” Beth was forced to smile. “I do not believe such a thing ever Oh, I happened, so I’m not able to discuss it,” she said with an air of finality. “ Sure. Your language is vague, but your — CS Comichboo a .