Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 12, 1927 — page 82: what you’re looking at

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

76 time, she is thrown with another girl who has always had them. I don’t suppose that any man could really see it. “Tm not worrying about her looks, I mean whether she’s beautiful or not, and I do know if I have that money to use in the way I want to use it I’ve nothing toe be afraid of by comparison with any girl, and,” she added meaningly, ‘‘there’s another reason, too.” ‘“ What is it?’ he asked curiously. ‘Do you want me to be quite candid?” “ Yes, if it’s the case of a hundred and fifty dollars, I think you’d better.” “Then would you like me to marry Mr. Brent?” Parfitt rubbed the bowl of his pipe, and a slow smile spread over his flaccid features. He wanted this more than anything else, had for the last two weeks been hoping for it, but as yet dared not count on it. There were many reasons why such a thing would be most acceptable, but the mest important of all was his own secret and one of which Dorothy had never dreamed. “You can have the money,” he said smoothly. He went into an adjoining tiny room, his own, and, closing the door tightly, lifted a section of loose board from the floor. Be- neath lay two small canvas sacks, one of which seemed to be quite heavy and he picked this up, balancing it musingly for a moment in his broad palm. Then replacing it, he took from the other a small roll of notes which contained only a few dollars more than the required sum. TO BE CONTINUED U U ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. He put this in his pocket, replaced the board and, lighting his pipe, opened the door. ‘‘ Here’s a hundred and sixty,” he said. ‘It’s all the loose cash I have until the end of the week.” : Dorothy took it, and drew a long breath. These strips of green paper seemed very potent things, and visions of what they could acomplish danced in her brain. She had already worked it all out, knew exactly what things she wanted, what they would cost and by which trip of the mail-carriers they would arive. The one thing she hoped now was that King and his niece would not arrive first. ‘* Thank you, dad,” she said softly, “ and I'll try and make a good investment.” Parfitt modded sagely. If the result turned out to be wnat he desired, this was a bargain price. He laughed contentedly, and struck off up the trail toward the mill. Thoughts, many and mingled, went with him, some satisfactory, others increasingly disturbing. He wondered how much the new manag- ing director knew about a mill. According to past experience, some of these official visitors knew virtually nothing. But one could never tell. In any case, he reflected, the odds were that King’s technical skill was very much less than his own. This brought a certain comfort, and, as the roar of machinery grew louder and near- er, his sense of uncertainty left him. He knew how to replace that hundred and six- ST. VALENTINE’S EVE FROZEN world, a wintry scene, Within the house there is no glow; Dan Cupid, with his little feet, Comes making heart-tracks through the snow! He finds a spinster lone and cold; A somber hearth, devoid of light. His gentle entrance kindles love, And sends its beacon through the night! ty dollars, and without robbing his pay envelope. NEXT WEEK U B. Hall.