The Argosy, Vol. 61, No. 4 — page 82: what you’re looking at

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

640 have sent it to him? Evidently he has received an ax-handle and thinks I sent it.” He glared at his wife as though she were trying to conceal the explanation from hin. ‘Why, John, I’m sure I don’t know,” she declared. ‘“‘How could I? All I know is that everybody is talking about ax-handles these days, and it’s getting to be simply terrible. By the way, did you order another one to-day? Sarah has been complaining that she had nothing to chop kindling with.” ‘Why, yes—yes! I ordered one sent out. Didn’t it come?” cried the excited suburbanite. ‘“T told you I was at the card-party all afternoon; I’ll ask Sarah.” A press of the buzzer brought the duti- ful domestic. ‘‘ Sarah,” said the head of the house sternly, ‘‘ was a new ax-handle delivered here this afternoon?” ‘‘Shure, an’ I don’t know, sor. I was a cleanin’ of th’ attic awl th’ blessed afthernoon; an’ I wouldn’t chase down no two flights of stairs, sor, for a ordi- nary ax-handle,’’ she replied. “ Possibly the delivery-boy left it at Pierce’s,” suggested Mrs. Hicks. “ They often do leave things there for us when we're out, you know.” | “That’s just it— just it,” decided Hicks. ‘‘ That scoundrel has stolen my ax-handle. I might have known as much. Of all the bald-faced thieves and infernal rascals—he is the worst.” ‘“John—John, the. children!” contin- ued his wife. “T see it all—lI see it all,’ went on Hicks, disregarding the warning. ‘‘ The handle was left there for us; he came home and saw it; that suggested an op- portunity for him to get even with me, and also gain an ax-handle by pretend- ing that I had sent it to him‘in order to patch up the quarrel. He’ll not find John Hicks as easy as that. He did it just for spite. I'll find a way to get even—I’ll find a way.” ‘“ John—John, the children!” his wife repeated with greater emphasis. “Bertha, you surprise me,” was all that Hicks said, as he drew in his horns a little and glared at the irritating note. He ate dinner in silence, and when THE ARGOSY. dessert was brought on still sat moodily, contemplating the note from Pierce. ‘“He won’t rent that house if I can help it, Bertha,” he announced suddenly in a more subdued tone. ‘But, John,” she remonstrated, “I don’t think such a spiteful spirit sets well on your shoulders.” “It’s not spiteful, Bertha; but look at all the trouble he has made for me. Here we decide to exchange work; he helps me bolster up my front porch, and I start to help him chop down his rotten pear-tree, when, quite accidentally, I break his ax-handle. Then follows the chain of events. The election is a tie, somebody trifles with the ballots, and he accuses me—me, of doing the work just because—”’ ‘And you accuse him, John.” ‘“T know, Bertha; but I had reason.” ‘So did he.” ‘Bertha, you—” “Oh, I know I surprise you John; but that is the way it looks to me.” ““T should think you would be more careful of the way you talk before the children, Bertha,’’ Hicks remonstrated. There was silenee after that. In a short time the children left the table, and Hicks and his wife sat over their coffee. ‘Well, I’m going to find a way to get even with Pierce. I don’t think much will come out of this election in- vestigation ; I’m going to find some other way. If I could only keep him from renting his house this summer.” “But don’t you think that would be rather mean—rather small? You’ve been friends for so long. Couldn’t you let it go at that? I’m sure this thing can be patched up.” Hicks glared his disgust, nothing. A few minutes later he was called to the telephone. It was a business friend who had rung him up from the city on a matter of some importance. When the business was finished the friend asked: “ By the way, John. I’ve been think- ing of taking a place out in your suburb for the summer. They tell me it’s an ideal resort for a city man, and that it isn’t hard to get a good furnished house in Oak Forest for three months or so.” “That’s right,” answered Hicks. OO and said | (©