The Argosy, January 1907 — page 55: what you’re looking at

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

WHEN ‘later and find the same man stark dead and alone was a calamity of too great magnitude to permit of any nervous up- heaval. ‘He’s certainly dead, Bob,” he re- peated. “ There isn’t the first sign of heart or any other action. He must have gone quickly.” ‘But what was it?” The druggist looked up gravely. “Some sort of heart trouble, proba- bly. I saw him jump out of that car with a yell when the trouble first began. Very likely the shock and the excite- ment were too much for him.” “It couldn’t have been ‘Anything in that soda? Certainly not. Miggs makes all that sort of stuff in sirup form, and he’s. as careful a junior as there is in the country. [ wish it wasn’t his night off!” ‘And still, as.soon as he took it he keeled over!” the editor muttered. “Bert, you can’t have made some horri- ble mistake——”’ “IT have not!” the druggist replied, almost fiercely. “ There is no more con- nection between that soda-fountain and this man’s death than there would be between your press breaking down and this store closing at night!” They faced each other in silence for a little. . Outside, a sudden whirring announced that the car had started up again and was on its way to Worman’s Center. They hardly noticed it; they hardly heard the light chatter of the depart- ing crowd. “And where’s the chap who was to stay with him?” Robert inquired, in a low voice. "cL give it ap, =Bob.>.=1 >The druggist’s eye fell upon a prescription- pad of the store, lying on the work- table. There was a line or two on it, freshly written in a bold hand. Albert seized it and held it to the light. “He :left a message, anyway muttered. What is. it?” The druggist moistened his lips and dragged his eyes away from the still figure on the floor. “Vou are both infernally slow,’ ” he read. ‘“‘* This man is unconscious, 72 } he SUSPICION SFRUCK HARD. -and apparently dying. 237 I have gone for a physician myself, and shall probably return with him before either of you reappear.’ ” “Complimentary!” said the editor. ‘Probably he was a little excited him- self, watching the man suffer, and all that sort of thing. At any rate, he must have left—and the man must have died immediately afterward.” He dropped the pad and himself sank into a-chair. His eyes sought his broth- er’s for a little, and took to wandering around the store. ‘Great God!” he muttered. a thing to happen!” There was something about that mo- tionless thing on the floor which fasci- nated both men in a gruesome fashion. Speechlessly they stared at it, for the time incapable of action. Outside the store, removed from view What of the tragedy, a girl’s rather shrill voice burst into hearty laughter. Two deeper voices joined, guffawing uproar- iously. The down-car came to a standstill for a moment. They heard the ‘ Bond- ville!”’ shouted by the conductor. The bell clanged harshly; the brake was re- leased, and the singing of the wires told of the car’s departure. Across the street, from the music- store, a phonograph began a _ raucous jumble of noise. Somebody announced something, and somebody else—in the machine—began to shriek adjurations to “Nellie” to “wait until the sun shines!” For no particular reason, the brothers listened to the din. The end came, and a hand or two clapped among those careless loiterers who congregated be- fore the door whenever the big phono- graph-horn began business. Albert pulled himself together with a strong effort. “We're not conducting a wake here, Bob,” he said suddenly. ‘“‘ We can’t sit by this poor devil all night and = Quick steps entered the store. A mel- low voice called: “T say, Radford!” ‘Foster!’ cried the druggist, in sud- den relief. ‘What the dickens is up here?” the genial voice pursued. ‘“ Been taking iS 0) 6) (C©@) AMUG (E@)