The Argosy, Vol. 61, No. 4 — page 66: what you’re looking at

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

624 “Tt’s one thing to light a moon box, and quite another to keep it swinging for an hour and ten minutes eight times a week. That goes double for the geniuses who originated that wave effect with the set rocks. You fellows didn’t know that you were going to be hoisted with your own petard.” Shamefacedly the crew slouched out of the theater, with the exception of Ridd, who went over to Adrian. ‘“T’m sorry I done it,” he said simply. THE ARGOSY. ‘I’m rather glad,” answered Adrian. ‘You grouched me into a hit, Ridd; and both Mrs. Adrian and myself are obliged to you.” | ‘You ought to be grateful,” comment- ed Faulkner as the electrician followed the rest over to Reilly’s. ‘“‘ Ridd’s re- venge was the biggest boomerang in the history of theatricals. Let’s get after the eats, and drink Ridd’s health. He doesn’t deserve it, but we’ll do it just the same.” JUST FOR SPITE. By ROBERT CARLTON BROWN, Author of “‘ Honors Heaped High,” etc. How friends fell out over an ax on the eve of an election, which was in consequence attended by more than the ordinary acrimonious incidents. (COMPLETE IN THIS ISSUE.) CHAPTER I. EXCHANGING LABOR. Vi HICKS was so friendly and intimate with Mrs. Pierce, and Mrs. Pierce was so taken with Mrs. Hicks, that either would have loaned the other her false puffs in an emergency. The children of both families were on such a chummy footing that they chewed each other’s gum. ‘Thus were the two families cemented togetlier. One moving-day in May, Hicks kissed his wife good-by before taking the sub- urban train for the city, and asked if he could do any shopping for her. Producing the proverbial sample, the wife made the usual request, and her husband looked quite as glum as the glummest. ‘“Hurry—hurry! ‘There goes Pierce! I’ll miss my train,” he muttered absently, backing toward the steps. ‘You'll remember it, John. Quarter of a yard, fourth floor, the girl with the celluloid collar and brass medallion.” “Yes, yes,” he assured her. ‘ Fourth of a yard_on the quarter floor, the girl with the Brass collar and celluloid me- dallion. That’s easy. Anything else?”’ “Oh, yes, John, there was something else. JT.et’s see—what was it now? Some- thing about the house, I’m sure.” She bit her lip, furrowed her forehead and crossed her eyes in a desperate effort at memory. ‘Another gas-mantle?”’ suggested the husband wearily. “Oh, yes, get a couple more—they do break so easily ; but—but that wasn’t it. There was something else,’’ she repeated, rushing out on the porch and holding him back by the lapel. With an indulgent smile, Hicks stood fidgeting. At length his wife broke out, releasing him: . ‘* Oh, well, never mind. I'll think of it again, and you can get it Monday.” “Thanks,” he murmured, hurrying down the steps and trotting across the lawn to catch up with Pierce, who stood waiting for him, meanwhile examining with his foot the loose boards in his front walk. “Needs a little, repairing, Dick,” commented Hicks, as they walked away together. “Yes; and that rotten pear-tree there must be chopped down, too,’ added Pierce, ruefully pointing at an unsightly dead tree in his yard, bordering on the party-line. ““'To-day’s Saturday. Why don’t you get busy and put in the afternoon on EO OO (C CO