Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 23, 1924 — page 95: what you’re looking at

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

EIGHT MONKEYS all have people who know us. How could any one of us suddenly claim to be some- body else?” Chaworth said my idea was idiotic. “You seem to forget,” he said, “ that there is a picture labeled Seumas Shayne staring everybody in the face. None of us look like him.” The gloom thickened, and into it broke the voice of the handsome devil on the window seat. It was a resonant baritone that compelled attention. “See here, you fellows; I seem to have gotten you all into a lot of trouble some- how. I haven’t the least idea what it’s all about. Personally, I never heard of this party Shayne, and, as for that picture of me, I had no idea that it was going to be exhibited. Mac asked me to let him paint it and I didn’t see any harm in it. If this Shayne party is peeved about it, don’t blame me.” He got up while he was talking and sauntered toward the door starting to make an exit with nonchalant dignity. He was recalled by a chorus, the theme of which was that ve was all right and nobody blamed him in any way. While I was look- ing at him, an idea occurred to me which at the time I thought was fairly bright. ‘“ Boys,” I said, “there is no doubt in the world that you will have to produce Seumas Shayne in person. Owing to the exhibition of his portrait, his appearance will soon be known in every city in America. Consequently there is only one man who will be accepted as Shayne and that man is—’’ And I looked at the unknown. “Tom Jervis!” exclaimed McKesson. “Tf that’s his name.” “Sure it is,’ said Harlowe. “TI forgot you hadn’t met him. Excuse me. Shake hands with Mr. Jervis,” and he mentioned my name, giving me a send-off as a shining light of journalism and a friend who could keep a secret. With his left hand, the interesting stranger gave me a grip of such muscular energy that I had all I could do to main- tain a genial smile and say I was pleased to meet him. His handshake made me wonder if he had strained his bandaged right arm by lifting an elephant. AND A CATSPAW. 253 ‘“What’s this you’re wishing on me?” he asked. ‘‘ Some kind of detective stuff? I don’t make you exactly. Who is this Sumac party you're talking about?” Harlowe said something in an undertone to McKesson, who, evidently prompted, remarked to Jervis: ‘“ Tom, old man, you were to have that arm dressed at three o’clock, and it’s ten minutes to three. You’d better beat it.” “T get you,” said Jervis with a genial grin. “ Three-thirty it was; but I have taken hints from some of our best hinters. How long will my absence be desirable?” “Come back as soon as the doc has fixed up your arm,” replied McKesson.” ‘“‘ We may have something interesting to tell you.” ‘““ Right-o! Suppose I drop in here about four. Will that give you time to say every- thing about me that you can think of?” They all assured him that nothing would be said that he could take the least excep- tion to, so he borrowed a few cigarettes from Hollister and went on his merry way. As he disappeared, all the fellows turned toward me with the precision of a well- drilled chorus, and seeing that I was re- garded for the moment as a fountain of wisdom I said: “This is my suggestion. This Nell Teller is as foolish as Reynard the Fox, and she has been assigned to write a two-page special for the Sunday Bulletin. She firmly believes that Shayne is the mask, so to speak, of a group of writers. She was star- ting off this afternoon to call on managers and publishers, all who have had any busi- ness dealings with Shayne, to find out all she could about him. She would be on your trail now, if I hadn’t volunteered to collect the preliminary information for her. { side-tracked her till I could get a chance to talk it over with you.” ‘Skipworth and the other managers will refer her to Spinoza,” remarked Chaworth, looking at Malcolm. “T’d much prefer not to meet her,” said Malcolm. “TI wouldn’t like to deceive a woman.” “Don’t flatter yourself. You couldn’? deceive this one,” I assured him. “ But even if you could, she wouldn’t be satisfied (E(0) VOOKS AMUCE _* (EO)