Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 18, 1928 — page 154: what you’re looking at

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

952 Not so with Jed. He loathed and de- spised his position as professor at a girls’ finishing school. He had no especial ob- jection to girls as individuals. But girls in a bunch were proving more than he could stand. The idea of his mother supporting the establishment, however, kept him dog- gedly on his job. There must come an opening some time if he kept his eyes and ears open—a chance for a regular man’s job. Ai present teaching French, Spanish, and Italian to a lot of silly girls seemed the only thing at hand to do. From living so much abroad he could converse with ease and grace in any of the languages. Where grammar was concerned he was skimming often on thin ice. He had a strong suspicion, too, that there was method among Miss Ferguson’s schol- ars in trying to corner him. All they really wanted was to be able to speak correctly. Grammar in general and irregular verbs in particular meant nothing in their young lives. The young imps would fix their wide- open eyes on the youthful professor and ask disconcerting questions. Jed had no idea that. they thirsted after information. He knew in his heart that he was simply being vamped. The lonely, rain-splashed road was a far cry from the hated schoolroom. Jed glo- ried in it. Even with the rain it was prefer- able to the small cottage room where he would otherwise be tackling impossible French verbs for the next day’s class. And the road might be leading Jed into what he so ardently desired. Who knew but what it was a highroad into the heart of an adventure that would turn the school- room into a workroom, the professor into a working man, and the days he dreaded into ones to be anticipated. The adventure had started as Jed was on his way from school. He left the bus as usual at the avenue. He lived on a side street two blocks from the avenue. He was met by an Irish terrier, the same that was now trotting along so devotedly at his heels. Jed always had owned dogs be- fore the crash came. This Irish terrier re- - minded him painfully of the one that had ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. been sold with the country home. The place and everything on it had gone at one fell swoop. Jed greeted the dog as a passing friend. After he had gone a short distance he turned, conscious that he was being fol- lowed. ‘See here, old man, this will never do,” he admonished the dog. “I wish you be- longed to me, but you don’t, you see, so trot along home.” With serious eyes fixed intently on Jed, the dog stood still. Then as Jed again walked on, the dog trotted after him. There were intermittent protestations on Jed’s part—respectful attention on the dog’s. At last they came to the small cot- tage where Jed lived. It was after dinner that the big idea had come to Jed. Not knowing what else to do, he had taken the dog in. His mother and he had shared their meal with him; from the first the dog seemed to feel very much at home. Jed had discovered on the dog’s collar the name Kearny. He also learned that he belonged to John William Anderson, of Meadowbrook Farm. Now, Jed knew that Meadowbrook Farm was one of the show places about three miles out of town. He also knew that John William Anderson was owner of a prosper- ous factory in the neighborhood. The factory manufactured engines. En- gines had always been a fad of Jed’s. He had always possessed a keen interest in the various improvements. The big idea was to return Kearny to his rightful owner. While doing this, to en- gage this same owner in pleasant conversa- tion and make him realize that his factory would be several degrees more successful if it had on its pay roll one Jed Living- ston. There would be some chance for a fellow in a factory like Anderson’s. At the end of a long and busy life as a professor at Miss Ferguson’s select school he would be exactly where he was now. He would be willing to enter the Ander- ~son factory in any capacity whatever. If necessary he would start with a dinner pail and blue jeans. Eomichboo (E cS (E@)