Argosy All-Story Weekly, July 7, 1928 — page 112: what you’re looking at

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

252 “ |—J—told you without dropping dead!” he stated. “ P-Pete bet me a dol-dollar I—TI couldn’t.”’ “Say, what the Sam Hill are you talking about?” Henry demanded. * You two aren’t—aren’t married?” Laura had whisked forward; Laura ran to her son and shook his arm, which was limp and loose as the arm of a scarecrow. “ Dearest, you're joking, of course?” she managed. “ Will, darling, you are joking, aren’t you?” ‘You don’t mean to tell me you went and got married?” Henry yelled, for he seemed to have great difficulty in grasping the idea. William smiled on, seeking the while to stuff the handkerchief into a pocket that was really on the other side of his coat. “Didn't we, though?’ he said. ** Show them the paper the nice gentle- man gave you, sweetheart! You—you can kiss her, dad!” “ But you can’t be married!’ Henry cried, quite ignoring the opportunity. * You're not old enough! You—” “T’ll be twenty-one in a couple of months, father,’ William informed him. “ And if you have this one an- nulled, we'll go to work and get married over again on my birthday. We thought of all that.” “Yes, but—why, you blooming little idiot, what have you got to support a wife on?” William stiffened. “ T’m not an idiot!’ he replied. “Or else you were, too! What did you have when you got married, father?” “ That’s an altogether different mat- ter! ‘Times have changed and—why, my soul! I thought you understood that! You said that very thing not long ago yourself,” William’s grin reappeared and grew significant. “T know I did. But times have done some changing since then, too, haven’t they, dad?”’ > “What does that mean?” ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. William winked mischievously. “ Oh, you know. I guess we’ll make out.” Laura was still holding her son’s arm. Her lips were not too steady now. “ Darling, whatever—ever made you do this?” she asked plaintively. “Well, mother, why not?” Williarn demanded, with some heat. “ You got married, didn’t you?” “Yes, dear, but that—” “Did anybody yell at you and look at you as if you'd strangled the cat and burned an orphan asylum ?” “We're not doing that, darling,” Laura said, and sniffed audibly. “Yes, you are! I—I don’t see why I can’t get a break here!’ Laura turned weakly to her husband. Her husband was staring at Joy Mor- row, née Harrison, without the slight- est visible sign that he meant to run and snatch a parental kiss. Joy shrank against her new husband, “I didn’t do it!’ she said hastily. “TI thought we ought to wait! Didn’t T, Will?” * You sure did, chicken-licken!’’ Wil- liam answered, and drew her to him again. ‘‘ And I couldn’t see that wait- ing stuff—not now.” “I thought we ought to wait until— until—’’ “ All right; I’m not accusing you!” Henry said shortly. “ Chances are you have more brains than he has, at that. You couldn’t have much less.” “Do your people know yet, Joy?” Laura’s wan little voice asked. “ Yes, we—we told them a few min- utes ago,” Joy said, and shuddered. “ They may be over a little later. They thought they wouldn’t come until we had—had—” Her voice broke. Laura, impulsive- ly enough and still with no overwhelm- ing love, put her arms about the young woman. “Well, it’s all right; don’t cry!” Laura sobbed. ‘‘ It—has to be all right now, I suppose.” CONNIECLOOOlKS (C@)