Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 12, 1927 — page 84: what you’re looking at

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

18 faced Chinaman entered silently through a curtained doorway. ‘Mix a bowl of Tom and Jerry, Foo,” the young man ordered, “and have it steaming hot.” The servant paused a moment, and a faint smile lighted his impassive countenance. ‘““Mlista Clobin comin’?” he queried. His master nodded silently, and then, with a smile, added; “ And the first thing he'll want, Foo, is a drink.” The soft and silvery hum of a bell sounded through the apartment at that moment, and Foo padded quietly through the room and disappeared into the hall. The young man heard the door open and listened to the dialogue which ensued. | Hello there, you old heathen!” he heard Corbin say, in his thin and nasal voice. “There’s going to be a dead Chinaman here if a pitcher of Tom and Jerry isn’t forthcoming pronto.” There was a sound of scuffling feet, accompanied by sundry grunts, gasps and wheezes, and the listener knew that Corbin, with the assistance of Foo, was emerging from his wraps. ‘““ Shovel the snow off those things, Foo,” the nasal voice commanded, “ an’ hang ’em up where they’ll dry. Oooo-eee-ce! What a night!” Foo passed down the hall, chuckling as he went, and then the curtains parted and Corbin came into the room. ‘The robber!” he ejaculated indignant- ly as he beheld his friend. ‘“‘ He charged me eighty cents to come down from Forty- Fourth Street, and then he drove away with the change when I gave him a dollar bill. The crook! He knew that his license plate was covered with snow so that I couldn’t get his number.” “He got your number first, Tommy,” the young man laughed. ‘“ That’s why he drove away with your change. He knew he wouldn’t get a tip unless he helped him- self to it.” “You're right he wouldn’t have got a tip!” Corbin puffed, with an outraged ex- pression on his face. ‘‘ He overcharged me anyway, and he didn’t have anything more coming.” wt = ae 4 ono be eet z = — -. ~ “ But it’s a had. night, 3 the y qui. ne = = oat ¥ = es ° a “A = a 3 : ai = = i. —— —- ae <a — a =e — a si ast x - a = pase ee eas on — == a - aa ee. - . — . - = f ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. reminded his friend, ured that in.’ ‘‘ Well, if he did, he didn’t have any right to,’ grumbled Tommy. : “ They charge by the quarter mile, not by the weather. It’s a matter of principle, Rod,” he asserted sioutly; “a matter of principle. I wouldn’t ‘and perhaps he fig- Jet any man gyp me even if I had your — income. No, sir! Not me!” Then his voice rose shrilly. ‘‘ Hi-eee, there, Foo!” he called. ‘‘ Where’s that Tom and Jerry? I’m fainting!” He looked at his friend with a jovial smile, winked an eye merrily, and then dovetailed himself into a large chair near the fireniace. “What in the world do you live way down here for, anyway, Rod,” he com- piained. “Or, why do I always have to come here to see you. I know that you’ve got other apartments in New York, but I never see the inside of them.. I always have to come here to get a look at you. You're not an artist or a writer or a poet. Why do you hang round down here at all? You're a motion picture star, and you be- long with the other bright lights uptown.” He paused a moment to catch his breath, and then went on with renewed vigor. ‘“ Believe me, kid, if I had ten thousand dollars a week income I’d rent the Ritz tower or have a floor at the Roosevelt. Believe me, I'd strut, boy, I’d strut!” Roderick Randall stretched back in his chair and smiled at his friend. ‘This is one of the places I like,” he replied, “‘as I’ve told you before. That’s the only answer as to why I’m here. May- be I like dim lights at night because I’m under bright lights all day.” He paused a moment and exhaled a ring of aromatic smoke. “And then again, Tommy,” he went on, ““T have a penchant for wanting to be my- self. If I was uptown every one would soon know right where I lived. Here no one knows, except two or three good friends like yourself. This is one of my sanctu- aries, and, perhaps, my favorite one.” “Your favorite one, huh?’ replied Tommy. ‘Say, Rod, just tell me one thing, and no foolin’. How many apart- ments have you really got—and ee eae Kn 2 ae i pe = eek. famed dP answer, ee you LF ae ee — ow ss “= a) a Pamicbooke com ee