The Argosy, Vol. 81, No. 4 — page 187: what you’re looking at

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

COCHRANE’S AUSTRALIAN STUNT. and very prone to lean on others. His chief worry of the earlier evening had been his fear of his big stable-mate’s anger, and that bugaboo now in the past, his ebullient spirits rose with his confidence in Cochrane. His surprise, therefore was extreme when his remark, “Say, Jim, that Fred Niblo is one little actor, isn’t he?’’ was met with a curt— “Shut up!” ‘““What’s the—?” “Shut up. I’m working.” Nothing else was vouchsafed to Bunny on the short walk back, and very shortly afterwards, Jim Cochrane barked a curt good night to his mate and went off to his room, still wrapped in thought. He was early astir next morning, and into ~ Bunny’s quarters. “Out of that—lively now. We begin work to-day,” he breezed, as he yanked the bedclothes off the shivering youngster. “Work?—What, work?” that indiyidual sleepily inquired, not awake to the grim facts of existence on a depleted exchequer. “This is where I start to get back the five thousand you gave away. Out you come.” Breakfast over, they adjourned at Jim’s - command to one of the sunny seats in the gardens at the harbor’s edge. Here free from all prying ears, Jim amazed the wide- eyed Bunny, not so much by what he told him, as by what he withheld. ‘““‘What’s the real scheme, Jim? No more of these get-rich-quick stunts? You'll trip one of these days, and, besides, you told me you’d cut them out.” “Never you mind the particular dope, Bunny, ’slong’s I put it over and show you the result in cash. I enjoyed that play last night, and it set me thinking, using my wits again. There are suckers waiting all over the world for some one to come and throw a gaff into them, and our necessity over- rides my scruples. There’s one man in this world I will never consent to be made un- comfortable, and his front name’s James. “Now right here in this gay city there are shrewd business men that are simply begging permission to give James Cochrane a thousand yellow sovereigns, asking noth- ing in return. Now close that trap of yours, and don’t talk. Do what I tell you, and your Uncle Jim will show you something. You'll have your share of the work, nice easy, quiet work, and all I ask in addition ‘ is that you keep away from the racetrack and the ‘good things.’ D’ye get me?” 12 A % “I'd like to know more about it, Jim. Hang it, it doesn’t seem the thing to start in at the old shell game two days after we land. You’re ’way above that sort of busi- ness, Jim. Why don’t you ask your old uncle to set you going in some legitimate line? He’d fall to it, and be tickled to 753 death you were starting anything worth while. Look here—” “Look you here, Bunny. This isn’t the mourner’s bench, and I don’t want any Chautauqua stuff here. We’ve shaken William J. among a whole lot of other rub- bish we had no use for, but if you’re going - to start an Australian branch you can run it alone. ‘““Now listen. I won’t go near Uncle Ted if I’m starving, and I’m going to put this deal through. There’s a scheme in it all right, but there’s nothing really wrong. Some one here played you for a sucker and got your dollars. Well, that’s one to them. I’m go- ing to match my wits with one of the deep, shrewd ones of this fair city, and do him up in a perfectly fair, square and legitimate game. That’ll make everything even again. ‘With you, it was like taking the pennies out of a blind man’s hat. You’re such an easy mark, but with my plan the enemy has a big chance. It’s just matching brains, that’s all. Now, then, to business. Don’t be surprised, ‘whatever happens. I want you to send-me this note at four o’clock precisely, addressed to the Hotel Australia, marked ‘please forward.’ Got a pencil?” “Ts that all ’m to know? Can’t I~” “You can obey orders and keep your mouth shut. The less you know, the more valuable you will be to me. Get your pencil and take this down; you can transcribe it later, and take it yourself to the Hotel Australia.”’ “Hotel Australia?” Surprise was in Bunny’s face. “Gee! Jim, the little we have won’t run to that. What’s doing, any- way?” “That will be my address till further orders; Bunny, you’re too blamed curious. Now take down this note.” The dictated letter puckered Bunny’s face into wrinkles of curiosity, but he asked no further questions and folded the scrap of paper away. A few minutes later his dominating friend dismissed him, and humming a gay tune took his brisk way down George Street. His next move was to step into a tailor’s and purchase a ready-made but good black EO MIG LOO <S (E©)