Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 23, 1924 — page 99: what you’re looking at

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

EIGHT MONKEYS This necessitated carefully manufactured evidence that the famous writer had traveled incognito. I found that the Ionic was due to arrive on the day following the conference at Mrs. Clow’s, and on the passenger list were the names of Rushmore Jones and Richard Jones; so R. Jones seemed a safe and suit- able name for Tom Jervis to register at the St. Felix, and the new and very English looking luggage was ordered to be marked ““R, J.,” as corroborative detail. As there was no time to get the right sort of trousseau made, McKesson took Jervis early the next morning to an estab- lishment where ready-to-wear garments closely approximated the style and fit of made to order articles. Here he was pro- vided with everything necessary for the care- ful dressing of the part he was to play. To prevent his being prematurely seen and rec- ognized as the original of the portrait in the art exhibition, Tom was then taken in a taxi to Ben Gleason’s place at Shoreville, Long Island, where he was to train for the coming verbal battle. The cheerful composer of popular songs was the sort of youth who develops meg- alomania from a little germ of prosperity. Since the dance orchestras had taken to playing his tunes, Ben had been display- ing a great interest in himself and nothing was too good for him. He had been so dazzled by the checks for royalties that for some time past he had been throwing dol- lars around as if they were mere marks. He had made the first payment on a big handsome house with several acres of eround. At any time in his previous career, Ben would have regarded his present garage as a Castle in Spain, magnificent be- yond his wildest dream and ambition. This property he proudly but prematurely re- ferred to as /iis, irrespective of any opinion to the contrary which the mortgagee might have. Ben had two fine polo ponies, which he had purchased at a high price with the idea of going in for the most aristocratic of sports. He had taken a tentative ride on one of these spirited animals, and would have sold them both the next day, only he was too proud to weaken. Polo, however, TA - re ° 5 - Fe . Ae = aed eo to « ame J . ; : CR ee PN FE On See oe he re PF ~ 5a AND A’ CATSPAW. 257 was postponed indefinitely, and his sporting instincts found an outlet in the soul-stirring game of croquet. As a further fashionable extravagance, the whim of a reckless moment, Ben nad treated himself to two German police dogs of ferocious appearance. These sagacious brutes seemed to know that their owner had not any too much confidence in their dis- positions; and they were right. If Ben braced his courage to the point of daring to pat one of them on the head, the rest of the day he put on more airs than Jack the Giant Killer. Among the other decorative features were two disconsolate looking deer, representing the first step toward the establishment of an estate, what the guide books to the British peerage would have called a “ seat.” If Ben had been a reading man, I would have suspected him of being a copy-cat of sir Walter trying to start a Long Island Abbotsford; but as far as he knew, “ Ivan- hoe,” was the name of a sleeping car. He ~ was confident that he was just beginning a career that would make Puccini’s look like an organ grinder’s, and when not hammer- ing on the piano, he spent most of his time sauntering around his estate, always making sure that the two police dogs were either chained in the stable or securely muzzled. Dressed in golf togs, he certainly looked every inch a pinochle player. In this surburban Paradise, Tom Jervis was installed and carefully instructed to be wary about showing himself to the’ neigh- bors. The next day was devoted to taking photographs of him, as I knew that Nell Teller’s first demand would be for pictures to illustrate her article. The broken wrist was unbandaged for this purpose and seemed to be nearly normal; but Tom was cautioned that he must continue to be a bird with a broken wing until all the inter- viewing was over. That his right hand was disabled was one of our most valuable assets. Chaworth and McKesson took charge of the art department and turned out some admirable pictures of Tom with Ben Glea- son’s dogs and horses. Even the deer were useful for once in their lives, contributing local color to a view of Shayne’s estate in a thy! Ce ae 4 ante the Pe hy pear ANA ISG ih pean ¢ aK 14, ' Gomichbooks ~~ ae ar - - a 4 é : < wa. 6.4 ste ice. 2% , 14 F*] A % RS OS) ess bts 5 to