Argosy All-Story Weekly, December 2, 1922 — page 71: what you’re looking at

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

RED DARKNESS. do my children hate their old father so? I wonder if Nan knows how she hurts me? I wonder if Teddy knows that he is killing his father? All I want is a /ittle consideration from them. I’m a lonely old man. I—I can’t let them go away from me. Oh-hum! “When they were little I used to say to myself: ‘Won’t we have great times when you grow up and I’ve made enough to give us all everything we want!’ They were mighty nice—little—kids. What do you suppose has changed them? They— hate me.” His voice tapered off to another groan, half sigh, half yawn. His mouth twisted and sagged. ‘“‘ Peace—peace,” Javalie soothed him. The banker settled deeper into the chair, wet his lips, and mumbled deep in his throat. “Sleep, sleep,”’ Javalie crooned. “ Think of nothing but that you are weary, tired, fatigued. Your head is heavy. You feel tired all over. Your arms go to sleep. Your legs grow tired. A feeling of heaviness and a desire for deep, deep sleep has taken pos- session of your whole body. Sleep is so sweet. “Your head feels duller; your thoughts grow more and more confused. Sleep deep- ly, deeply, deeply. No sound, no excite- ment, can waken you. You can _ hear nothing, feel nothing. Mr. Banning!” he called. Mr. Banning’s head fell forward; he was breathing audibly, heavily through his lips, each puff blowing them out from his teeth. Javalie said feelingly: clock!” A ghostly of windows. “Damn that glow lighted up the battery The house was still, heavy with perfect silence, into which crept the never-ending mumbling of the ocean, the faint pattering of dew dripping from the tile eaves to the ground. Javalie hastened into the alcove with the slip of pale-green paper crumpled in one hand. He smoothed out the wrinkles against the satiny gray steel, twisted one combination after another with practiced fingers. \ 541 He paused and spun about. He had distinctly heard the faint click a a closing door. He stuffed the paper into his sleeve and leaped to the water cooler. He was drinking calmly when Pete Rey- nolds stepped into the doorway. Pete Rey- nolds had apparently only recently emerged from his bath. m A black dressing gown covered his pyja- mas. His skin glowed; his thinning light- brown hair sparkled with moisture, and his scalp was pink. One of his hands was thrust into a deep corded pocket.* His mouth slowly twisted into a knowing grin; his chest and shoulders trembled with silent laughter. His eyes glittered. “* Uhuh,” he drawled; ‘“‘ just about where I had an idea I'd find you. Been looking all over the plant for you. You don’t waste time, do you?” 3 My friend—” Javalie began in his i nevolent tones. “ Agh, can that religious stuff!” Rew nolds cut him off with a snarl. “ Do you think I am not wise to you? Why, I got your number when you came in, and I get you cold when you pulled that card trick on Tillman. It was a nice extemporaneous little trick. Your brain never —— say it doesn’t! ‘““Oh, of course,” he added sivcniiendias vou didn’t know that every one of those cards were marked by that sneaking little Vincent Tanner. Well, what have you got to say?” Javalie’s smile came slowly. It ouppente ed daggers sliding through the dark. “ Go on,” he said patiently. “The low-down,” Reynolds informed him, “ is this: if you don’t consent to work with me on this I'll queer you. Now, will you talk American?” ‘“ Not here,” said Javalie. room.” Reynolds backed out of the doorway, with his right hand still thrust deep in his pocket and his eyes fixed unwaveringly on Javalie’s mouth. Javalie closed the door and walked the length of the bedroom with Reynolds close behind him. At the door Reynolds stopped and looked back at the snoring banker. “ Come to my Gomichbooksreom