Argosy All-Story Weekly, December 2, 1922 — page 83: what you’re looking at

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

RED DARKNESS. wouldn’t listen to it. Wanted you with him. Wanted you where he could bully you and boss you around to his heart’s content.” Teddy slapped his legs. ‘* That’s the honest truth!”’ “And you were helpless—no practical training, no opportunities. So, being help- less and bullied at the same time, you have been getting hotter and hotter. You could not take it out with much satisfaction on your father, because his hide is too thick; so you began taking it out on Jeanne, on the good old principle that we love to de- stroy those whom we love most. It was about then that you began to think you had stopped caring for her.” ‘“T don’t think it. I know it.” Javalie sighed in despair. ‘‘ She thinks the sun rises and sets in you, Ted,” Ted nodded gloomily. tough.”’ “Yet I am pretty certain that you would love her harder than ever if you could cut loose—with a little capital from your fa- ther. You’ve a right to it, I think.” “He ought to owe me something for the chances he’s made me miss!”’ “He certainly ought to! Yes, if you were to do that—and take Jeanne away, and live by yourselves, without any prying, selfish parent about—you’d be the happiest man alive.” Teddy sighed miserably. ‘“‘ No; late. My—nmy life is ruined.” Javalie smiled. “ Teddy, will you promise to stay right where you are while I give you the shock of your young life? Promise not to do anything rash?” Teddy was watching him intently. “You can’t shock me.” “Yes; I know you are disillusioned—and cynical, like all the rest of the new genera- tion. But one never can tell. What I’m going to tell you is the truth, mot malicious gossip, and I am giving it to you for a practical purpose. A certain man, Teddy, is so sure that you are going to finish up your job of breaking your wife’s heart that he has promised to be waiting for her the day she leaves you.” “"You’re a liar.” “T know it. It’s it’s too Pe oe ae 555 Javalie started to rise, and settled down again with a tight smile. ‘Ted, let’s not have any more baptizings to-day. I am dealing in verified facts. This man is trying, at every opportunity, to make love to your wife.” Ted Banning scrambled to his feet with eyes blazing and fists clutched at sides. “Vl kill that—” “No, you won’t, Ted. You will leave him entirely to me. His type happens to be familiar to me.”’ “The beach lizard!” “Yes, that’s the type, Ted—more to be pitied than damned. To him a woman in distress means a woman accessible. He closely resembles one of those fish hawks out there. You see him skimming along close to the water. When a poor little fish is chased up to the surface by a big fish, the hawk is there to grab him. “It’s the hawk’s nature, just as it’s Rey- nolds’s nature, but it happens, unfortunate- ly, to be Reynolds’s weakness to boot. It’s only the outcropping of a streak that runs straight through the man. Pay out enough rope and he will eventually hang himself. “Well, you didn’t know that about Jeanne, did you? Sit down. I am only trying to show you that wives aren’t the open books they sometimes seem. They demand a very intensive kind of study. It’s curious, too, about just that. The more you study one woman, the more interesting she becomes. Positively absorbing! ‘“‘ Why, there isn’t any science, anything, half so interesting. A woman is the most marvelous mechanism ever created. Did you ever consider that? The little things a woman who loves you is doing all the time to make you happy? And the big things she will sacrifice? And the way her brain will work, and her intuitions, to further what- ever you are fighting for? Stupendous! And, marvel above all other marvels—her children! Your-children. It’s hard to im- agine Jeanne as a mother—she’s such a lit- tle thing. Ted, think of that brown-eyed darling nursing a son—your son!” 3 “Thank God,” Teddy said huskily, “ don’t have to!” “ Supposing you speak to Jeanne about that.” COL iGbooksneom