Argosy All-Story Weekly, July 7, 1928 — page 73: what you’re looking at

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

FAIR EXCHANGE. “T think you'll finance this one,” replied the man. His lips twisted into a sarcastic smile as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small vial of colorless liquid. | He leaned over the desk and said in a low voice as he tapped the bottle with his forefinger: “Do you know what this bottle contains?” “Looks like watah,” answered the colonel. “Well, it ain’t water,” replied the man, “it’s nitroglycerin!” The colonel stared at the bottle as though fascinated. Then he bit off the end of the cigar he had taken from the box, and reached ostensibly for a match.” “You keep your hands still!’ com- manded the man. “One false move and I’ll dash this bottle to the floor and blow the whole damn bank to helf!” The colonel’s hands became motion- less. “Just what is your game?” he de- manded. “T’ll tell you in a minute,” answered the other, “ but first get what I say. If anybody comes in tell them not to bother you—that you're engaged— see?” “And if I don’t?” murmured the colonel. “Tf you don’t, then we'll all take a little trip to hell! I’m desperate, see! I haven’t had a square meal for days— haven’t got a damned cent. I’ve reached the point where I’m ready to commit suicide, if I have to. It all depends on you.” “T reckon if you had a good job, you would be all right,” suggested the colonel. “ Good job, your eye!” exploded the other. “I want ten thousand dollars —and you’re gonna give it to me!” “Me?” demanded the colonel. As he spoke he looked reflectively at the telephone at his elbow. “No use lookin’ fer help,” sneered the man. “If anything happens and I’m caught, I'll still have time to blow , ‘colonel assured him. i O45 up the building with this.” He in- dicated the bottle, which he now held clutched tightly in his right hand. “ There’s enough stuff in that to blow the whole damn works into the next county.” “T reckon you got the drop on me,” conceded the colonel. “ Jes’ what do you want foh me to do?” “T want you to ring your buzzer fer the cashier,” said the man, with a triumphant glean in his narrow, cat- like eyes. “Tell him to bring in ten thousand dollars in bills—fifty hun- dreds and five one-grand notes will do —I ain’t particular. “When he comes in you can be writin’ out a promissory note—you know the stuff. Anyways, it’s up to you to put it over without gettin’ any- body suspicious, because you are wise now what it means if you don’t put it over. One false move and I throw the bottle!” “You don’t need to worry,” the “T would not jeopardize the lives of my employees. If you and I were alone, that would be different. However, I wish that I could make you see the error of yo’ ways. Don’t you-all realize that money got that way won’t do you no good at all? “Tf you had come here askin’ my help to get you work, I would have—” “ Can that stuff! snapped the other. “Get the money and get it quick—or else, take the consequences.” “All right, all right,” the colonel said hastily. He pointed to a small safe in the corner of the room. “ You will find ten thousand dollahs in bills in a compartment of that safe. The combination is—” “Say, what d’yer think I am—a chucklehead?” snarled the man. “T go over there an’ open the safe while you knock me on the head—nothin’ do- in’. You go over and open the safe an’ get the jack, see?” “Mebbe that would bé_ better,” agreed the colonel. x -comichooks EO