The Argosy, Vol. 61, No. 4 — page 75: what you’re looking at

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

JUST on the job, as a little light in his room indicated, the engineer might hear him and take a chance shot at him in the dark- ness. If he was discovered spying about, there would be a lovely scandal for Oak Forest, and on the eve of the recount, too. Hicks decided that caution must be his watchword. He therefore sneaked up the alley through which the coal was de- livered to the power-plant. Everything was still; there was no light anywhere, except the dim glow of the lamp in Pete’s room. Hicks sneaked up close and - edged along the building until he reached a point near the window that looked into the room where the election had taken place. He flattened himself against the wall, and his heart pounded miightily as he held his breath and slowly drew up to the lit- tle casement. There was just enough light so he could make out objects in the room dim- ly. He was very slow in locating the table where the ballot-box should rest, but suddenly it came into sight. Then Hicks’s face broke into a smile. ‘There was the box, intact. Right near the win- dow it was; he could see it plainly. It had been so close to him that at first he had almost overlooked it in his eager- ness. Hicks gazed at the object long and .earnestly. There was the box that was to give him victory over Pierce. ‘There was the box that would settle the quarrel over the ax-handle. . There was no doubt in his mind that he would win the elec- . tion. Everything was all right. He could go home now and sleep the sleep of the satisfied. : He slowly and carefully withdrew his face from the window, and was about to turn and retrace his steps when some- thing in the other direction suddenly at- tracted him. It was the crunch of a cinder. The crunching was repeated, a slow, suggest- ive noise. Hicks stooped down beside the window and flattened himself against the wall. Then he made out a figure coming trom the direction of the noise. It was FOR SPITE. 633 coming slowly, with a sneaking, catlike tread. Hicks’s breath came sharply. Some- thing uncanny was about to happen, he was sure of it. Who could this man be, and what was he doing in the vicinity of the precious ballot-box at this hour? , Questions poured in on Hicks’s mind, and he clutched his stick nervously. Evidently the oncoming man did not see Hicks crouching in the shadow, for he kept on his way slowly. Although Hicks could not make out the man’s face, he was certain by his cautious air that the fellow had his eyes on the light in Pete’s window above, and that this was why he had overlooked Hicks. In a moment the man was only three feet away. Hicks’s fingers-tightened over the stick in his hands, and he made a sudden leap through the air. “T’ve got you,” he cried, as he bore the surprised stranger to the ground and forced the stick over his neck so that the man could not free himself. There they lay; both breathing heav- ily, their faces close together, Hicks on top. Hicks withdrew his face slowly to get a look at his catch. “Great Heavens!” he cried. He peered into the face of the man ‘he had downed. “Dick Pierce!” he cried. “My God! Is it you, John?” came the answer from the man who had been taken by surprise. “Yes. What are you doing here?” “What are you doing here?” Pierce flung the question back as soon as able. “I’m guarding the ballot-box.” 66 So’m 1 aes By this time Hicks had released his ‘victim, and the two were standing up, glaring at each other. : “ Better be careful, Pete will hear us,” cried Hicks, looking up significantly at the lighted window above. ““T don’t care if he does, I’ve done nothing wrong,” cried Pierce quickly. “The eagerness with which you say it would make anybody think you had planned to do—” “Hold your tongue! suspicious for you,” It looks just as answered Pierce hotly. EO OO ©