Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 123, No. 4 — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

528 station-master returned the greeting with @ momentary dropping of the eyelids and a slight inclination of his head. Bert aas on the point of asking David for an explanation of what he had seen from .his window; but the station-master’s attitude of aloofness did not warrant a confiding of the fact that he shared with him, to a certain extent, the knowledge of the latter’s nocturnal adventures. He de- cided to keep his secret for a while unt! some explanation offered itself, and substi- tuted, instead: “Feeling pretty well this morning, Mr. Hodge?” . “Tolerable, thank you. My name’s Da- vid. Shorter ’n Mr. Hodge, son.” “TH use it gladly,” replied Bert, and added significantly: “My name is Bert.” ‘Sen Tl do. Once had «@ hoss named Bert, an’ it had the heaves. You met Jonas Warren’s datter yeste’day, eh?”’ Bert raised his brows. Did the man spend his days and nights marking the actions of Selma’s entire population? “How do you know?” he asked. David chuckled. ‘A leetle bird told me, as you might say. Mighty fine girl, Ruth is. Didn’t seem to take to you, eh?” “Not particularly. However—”’ ‘ Glad to see you’re determined to make her think different about you. Mighty fine gin.” Bert sniffed. ‘I was about to say that, however, it didn’t make any difference to me what she thought of me.” “T wasn’t judgin’ by what you was goin’ to say,” said David. “I was figurin’ on what you was thinkin’. Well, keep after her, son. She’s wuth it.” “You're ridiculous!” said Bert. “TI haven’t given her a second thought. I saw her only once, and—” “She ain’t the kind it takes a feller a year to fall in love with,” put in David. “A feller kin like Ruth Warren the fust time he sees her, feel kind o’ queer about her the second time, love her the third time—an’ be willin’ to die for her ever after. You ain’t seen her but once; jest wait till the third time.” “H-m! She may be ‘ mighty fine,’ but if she is she didn’t act like it.” ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. “Funny thing,” drawled David, “ how some folks kin dress up their thoughts to look different from what they are. Why, ever since she left you, you been thinkin’ what a oughbred she acted like under the circumstances. And here you—” “ David,” cried Bert, his astonishment making him frank against his will, “I be- lieve that you can read a man’s soul!” “Souls run purty near the same in cer- tain kinds o’ folks,” David returned slow- ly. “ You kin tell what kind o’ sole a shoe’s got by lookin’ at the uppers, if you’re a judge.o’ leather. "Most always, on good shoes they’s good soles, and on cheap shoes it’s t’other way round. Hew- ever, this ain't a matter o’ souls. It’s_a case o’ young blood. Seen Turner since yeste’day?” 6c No. bP] * “Hear he’s been sayin’ that you won't stay here long. Seems that there speech o’ yours put a leetle worm in some folks’ minds, and he don’t care so much fer ad «Talk is cheap. —_—— Bert tossed his head. He brought me here, and I’m here te stay.” “ Been givin’ any thought to the Ma- Jestic? Intendin’ to make it go?” ~ “I’m going to try. I’ve got to figure out some attraction that will bring guests here.”’ Devid rose to his feet, stretched bini- self, and made for the door. _ “ Poll’s open now. Guess VH_vote and git to work. Y’ know, son, attractions is queer critters. Liable ter find ’em in the street or hid in a cupboard or growin’ on trees. Then agin, you may find ’em hid- in’ away.in a rickety railroad station.” Bert stared at him, scratching his head. “ Contrary as wimmen, attractions are,” said the station-master as he passed out into the sunlight. “Sure enough.” Bert mentally repeated over and over again these strange statements as he slowly ate his breakfast. Fred Patterson had told him that the station-master’s every word was pregnant with meaning, but for the life of him he could determine nothing relevant in David Hodge’s remarks about attractions. 1A ron D ATE UNG NKelDOOks.Com THE OH O