The Argosy, Vol. 82 No. 4 — page 27: what you’re looking at

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

A SECRET OF THE BRONX. Seale that a man I disliked as I did Bat- terson should take the job off my hands. But you made the decision, and accepted his invitation.” “T had that note in my pocket and wanted to know if Batterson really intended to harm me,” Fanning explained. “Well, you came blamed near finding out. Now you remember, we went up stairs, leaving Batterson here. Joyce was working in the dining room, and in the short time we were up there Batterson managed to find her, proposed for the fiftieth time, and that time got a flat, final rejection, “You remember his mood. Well, when I went to bid mother and Joyce good-by I found mother scolding like the mischief and Joyce in tears. That was why I looked so glum when I rejoined you.” “But why should you feel glum about it when you disliked Batterson?” “Oh, I was glad.enough about the rejec- tion.’ But it always makes me glum when there is the least clash between Joyce and either father or mother. / can stand it. Many a good old rating I’ve had, and de- served. But Joyce—good Lord, Board- man, I’ll never love a wife as I love my sister.” “She is—”’ Fanning brought himself to a halt. “Well, a goddess, princess? You said that once.” “T was going to say that your sister is well worth loving.” - “You bet she is. And it wasn’t because she had refused Batterson, exactly, that my mother was scolding. You know, or you did know in college, that I received a legacy from my grandmother.” “T believe I helped eat some good things bought with some of it.” ‘Well, Joyce received more. And while I blew mine in, Joyce never touched hers. And she has a scheme for building some sort of crazy school for poor orphans in which they can be taught to be self-support- ing and upstanding, instead of going into the world ill fitted to fight their way.” Fanning moved uneasily. In his own vigorous language, in his denunciation of Joyce’s scheme, Tom had uttered a stronger argument in its favor than Joyce herself, in her sweet voice. “T know all about that scheme,” said Fanning. “Well, what mother was seolding about was this:. She thought that Joyce had 2A 593 chucked away a good offer of marriage just for the purpose of carrying out that scheme. See the point?” “IT see several points.. While I know nothing about the reasons your sister had for refusing to marry Batterson, I do know that the scheme is going to .be carried through.” ‘““Has she won out?”’ “She has not only won out, but your father donates for the site of the orphan- school his property on Lamartine Avenue.” Tom opened his mouth and gasped like a dying fish. ‘““Are you sure?” “Well, Miss Kendry told me so, and I presume you accept her statement.” “Of course. Well, if she can’t beat the devil around a stump, I don’t know. Got the good old dad to hand over twenty thou- sand dollars’ worth of rock! Shoo fly, don’t bother me!”’ “What I was wondering about was where do you come in?” “Don’t worry about that. We don’t cut each other’s throats in this family. If I’ve got any prospective share in that property Joyce is welcome to it. Oh, but that’s rich. “But look here, that puts a big job up to the girl. Father is too busy to do much, and I’m about as useful as a sick duck. Who is going to look out for Joyce’s inter- ests? Who’s going to see that she doesn’t get cheated out of her eye teeth? She’s no fool, but she’s no business woman. Who’s going to stand by like the watchdog of the treasury and see that she is not robbed?” “J am. She has placed the entire job in my hands. No one will cheat your sister.” “Glory be! Is the world coming to an end? Batterson to the rear, Fanning to the front! Thank God!” “That'll be about enough of that. This is merely a matter of business between Miss Joyce Kendry and Boardman Fanning.” ‘“Miss Joyce of the Bronx, and Fanning of Albany.” “Fanning of the Bronx for a time. I shall leave Michaelson in charge of my business.” ‘““Gee whiz, and it’s a matter of business. No sentiment about it at all. No sentiment in a girl blowing in a big inheritance on a school for impecunious orphans, no senti- ment in a man leaving a young and grow- ing business in order to look out for her in- terests, no sentiment anywhere. No, of course not.” COMMICLO® S (C@