Argosy All-Story Weekly, December 4, 1926 — page 35: what you’re looking at

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

SILENT shaped claim near the cottonwood. It’s right on the road, you see, and a lot of fellows knew that old Dad Jordan had put up his monuments, and held it O. K. for six days. When you awarded the claim to one of your new bartenders the boys kicked a little. They most of ’em know Dad Jordan, and—” ‘““Dad Jordan be damned! I promised that new barkeep a claim for bringing up six cases of whisky, and he gets the best there is. Dad Jordan can join Squint Vari’s gang of Vigilantes, and Squint Il take care of him.” Monk Day grimaced. Whether it was because the new barkeeper was. so richly rewarded or because the unfairness of his boss pricked even his thick hide would be hard to tell. “That gane of amateur carpenters, led by Dyrk Tunistra, came in for their pay,” he hurried on. “TI got ’em all drunk, and then threw them out. They won’t know to-morrow morning whether they were paid or not.” A grin of satisfaction cut Pig Grabow’s JERRY. 345 fat face. ‘‘ Monk,” he said, ‘‘ sometimes I think you’re a genius yourself. At other times—well, never mind. Have a drink with me!” “Thanks!” The liquor gurgled into the two glasses. There was a moment of silence. Then, “Good night,” said Monk Day. “Good night.” The ex-bartender left the room. For a few moments Pig Grabow stared into space, thinking over the day, making plans for the next. “Don’t like Silent Jerry’s coming back,” he muttered. Then he shrugged his fat, rounding shoulders, leaned over to blow out the lamp, and waddled across to his bed. On second thought he felt his way’ to the door, and locked it, then clawed for | the Luger on the table. His clumsy hands tipped over the glasses, but at last found the vicious nine-shot automatic. Before throwing himself across the bed he carefully tested the gun, and placed it under his pillow. Even czars have their uneasy moments. TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK U U U MEMORY YH" can rattle off the names of all the Pharaohs And the years wherein these rulers threw their stuff; ~ He is wise to Alexander and his triumphs; He can tell you all about J. Ceesar’s bluff; He can take you back to Nineveh and Tyre; He can show you Xerxes and the Persian rout, But each night he will forget to tend the furnace, And, when dawn comes, lo, he finds the fire out! He can tell you of Napoleon and his marshals; He knows all about the sea fights Nelson won; He can tramp the roads from Cambridge down to Yorktown With the worn and ragged hosts of Washington; He can tell you of the Marne and bloody Flanders, Where the war, dogs caused the stoutest hearts to quail, But, whenever his dear wife gives him her letters, He forgets to put the letters in the mail. Edgar Daniel Kramer. vOOK COMEE <o)