Argosy, Vol. 117, No. 2 — page 160: what you’re looking at

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

310 prison. An’ that’s where I’ll go if she don’t pervide for me and give me her mother’s property. Why, if you’re goin’ to marry her, you ain’t aimin’ to keep the property that’s now hers, are you? There must be about five thousand dollars, all told.” ‘“T’m not aiming to keep it,” Jerry said. “It will be Mamie’s to do with as she likes. You'll never touch it.” ‘Then I'll give myself up to the police,”’ McBride threatened. “Very well,” Mamie broke in. “If it has to come to that, it must. I—I can’t shield you, even if you are my father.” All the false courage went out of the man. He stood staring at her as if he could not credit his sense of hearing. But she stood across from him, looking at him steadily, her head held up and her’ eyes shining with determination. ‘““That’s exactly right,” Jerry — said. “You had your fling. You chose to be a crook rather than an honest man, and now you’re due to pay. You can’t expect a girl to help you pay. Come with us.” With a strangled cry McBride sprang for the door. He had it half-way open when Jerry seized him by the collar and pulled him back. | “Walk ahead of us,” Jerry said. “If you try to run away, I may have to be rough with you.” The man fell in ahead of him and marched along with bent head. Jerry tucked Mamie’s hand beneath his arm. “Tt isn’t a long walk, honey,” he said. * We can get to your house quicker than if we waited for a carriage. You want to get home, don’t you?” “Yes,” Mamie said, in a strained voice, “T want to get home.” “[’m sorry,” Jerry whispered. “Tl miss my mother,’ Mamie said simply, “but I know she is resting now. She has suffered a great deal.” They walked in silence for a while and then Mamie suddenly asked: “What is it about the pay-car, Jerry? Oughtn’t you to be where they plan to rob it?” '“T must get over there somehow,” Jerry said. “ You’ll understand if I have to leave you, won’t you, honey?” THE ARGOSY. “Ah, Dll understand,” the girl said. “There will be kind neighbors in the house. They have been kind for a long time.” Her tears stopped her. Jerry felt a lump in his own throat. ‘Youll be kind to me, Jerry—always?”’ she said after a while. ‘““ Always,” Jerry promised. ‘There'll be no more Jungle, no more fighting.”’ ‘““No more fighting unless it’s to help somebody that’s weaker than me,” Jerry declared. They neared her house’ with McBride still in front of them. At the gate Mamie looked up at him, her face pale and strained. “When I said you ought to. be over there, I didn’t think of the danger, Jerry,” she said. “‘ You'll be careful? You'll come back to me?” “Tl be careful and I'll come back to you,” Jerry said. He stooped and touched her lips with his own and stood and watched her as she went up the walk. Then he wheeled around on McBride. ‘You come with me, you dirty hound!” he said. ‘Tl put you in charge of some- body that ‘ll see you don’t get away.” ‘“A nice way to treat a man when his wife’s lyin’ in there dead,” McBride said. “Your wife!” Jerry retorted. ‘‘ The wo- man whose heart you broke. Come on and shut up.” He took the man to the station, and there he found Curry and Bartholomew. They came hurrying up to him when they caught sight of him through the snow. ‘The girl ain’t here, Jerry,’’ Curry said. “She ain’t been here all night.” “Tt’s all right,” Jerry said. home.” ‘Well, that’s good news,” Curry said. ‘“Me an’ Bart was worried consid’able. Dayton and his outfit has gone over to Harpersville. They thought mebbe some harm had come to you.” ‘““No harm,” Jerry said. “I’ve got to get over there, Curry. I’m leavin’ a friend of mine with you, a most particular friend. It would break my heart if you let him get away from you or if any harm come to him. Will you watch him till I get back? “ She's at CORMICLOO© <=) (C@