Argosy All-Story Weekly, October 6, 1923 — page 64: what you’re looking at

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

ic ‘went clamming with Tucker. He carried a smart leather case stuffed with an eye-filling wardrobe, including a Scotch _knickerbocker suit and pigskin brogans, and looked like a million dollars. He and ous Three days passed, and not by ned or look had he indicated to the Slapper that his visit was anything but the quite natu- ral dropping in of an-old and valued friend. Letty thought him wonderful, and Ma _ Tucker nearly burst with pride at his - praises of her cooking. -*We'll take a turn up the road,” He said. When the roadster had swept them a mile yond the Hendrie place, he spoke. = ‘Know what I came for, Slapper?” = « No, sir.” = SL «You saved me from Pe ihe. == sae Wee i per wriggle of tant Soatie ~ any- how. You oughta know that.” = Iron Reedy ‘nodded. hat. . Your kind has to be born that way.” He s ski fully tooled his car in and out : er ‘Vot ek like a new man, Slapper! Guess it agrees with you, huh?” 2 I’m all right.” inother period of silence, while they unded the cape and came in sight of the — ; sence its bleak rock a half on a hot afternoon, he told the Slapper. that he wanted a word with him. on it. Tve had my eye on you -whispé eres -ARGOSY-ALLST ORY ‘WEEKLY. Se ‘That Letty =i che thinks reife well = of you,’ ” Reedy said unexpectedly. “ Like her, don’t you?” —— The Slapper reddened. _ “They don’t make ‘em no better!” Reedy nodded. “I know. She’s reas. Can’t remember when I’ve seen one just _like her. Did you know I was born in a ‘little place like this No? Well, I was. On the west coast of Ireland. But I’d for- got about it, mostly. Lived among imita-— tions and shadows and four-flushers so long. Know why I blotted out Joe Watts?” Reedy was given to startling changes of conversation. ~The Slapper shook his head. : “Well, let it ride that way. He’s dead. But he had it coming to him! — And Fd do — it over again, if I had to go to the chair, So that’s that! But I want to square you; and now that F see how things stand, ve changed my mind. I’m going back. I’m too old to change. Habits fixed. You know, I never lushed any. And the-wom- en hayen’t bothered me much. Gambled a little, but not to make money. Just for fun. Power! That’s all I want. It’s a disease. You know, Slapper, I hold five tae aa votes. in the hollow of my hand. ae freed his left from the big wheel, aid held it out, fingers clenched. “Gives a bird a funny feeling, some- times. I walk down the avenue, and pass men. T know, but who don’t know me from ~@ yellow cat. Big ones. Millionaires. Blue bloods. Men with all sorts of backing and protection. And I could get any one oi em croaked at an hour’s notice! Just a Tet sentence. J got all sorts in my gang, just” like an army has. Killers, ex- _ pert electricians, doctors, crooked lawyers, all sorts. Get any kind ef a job done. _ Have any crib in the burg cracked for me, to get a paper I need, or a chunk of ice. And when I agree to deliver five thousand votes and there’s only four thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine cast, then I know somebody’ s crooked, or got himself ~The Slapper listened, fascinated. This — ‘was the life! To have the power over men a one Propel to > elect ne Tight one and — == | micbooks.cOr aS