Argosy All-Story Weekly, May 17, 1924 — page 21: what you’re looking at

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

TARRAPIN was over. ‘‘ He does not like the Roone family and does not wish any domestic alliance with any member thereof. He says the Roones are no good. He doesn’t hold the same opinion of you that I do!” “ T had a talk with my father this morn- ing,” Lois giggled. “ That is, he talked to me. It’s wonderful how little he thinks of the Verdell family. He says they are no good. I don’t agree with him, entirely.” “These old guys don’t like each other even a little bit,’ Manse announced. “‘ Two or three times I have known them to bury the hatchet, but they always left the handle sticking out, and in a little while they would be chopping at each other again.” The two young folks looked at each otlaer and laughed. There may have been a time when the disapproval of parents or guardians to a matrimonial alliance might thwart the purpose of two lovers. But these two at this time did not care a hoot whether old man Verdell liked old man Roone or not. They loved each other and al! the rest was fun. Finally Manse said: ‘“ Let’s run off and get married and let the old men fight it out.” “When?” Lois asked. “ To-morrow night,”’ Manse answered. “T’ll be waiting for you at twelve o’clock,’’ Lois answered, her eyes sparkling in anticipation of the adventure. Then followed ten minutes in which they were unconscious of their surroundings, and were brought back to practical realities by the odor of scorched food. Of course, they had to start the food all over again, Also the love making began again, Manse helped up to a certain point and then resigned. ‘““ Vou do the rest, Lois,” he said. “ I’ve got to go and make arrangements for my wedding.” CHAPTER VI. BUCKETY! BUCKETY! BUCKETY! HE next morning Manse was busy about many things concerned with his secret designs for the evening. His automobile was carefully inspected and set in order for a rapid trip. Reservations at TOES. 171 a hotel in a neighboring city had been se- cured. Money was drawn from the bank, and all other things were being put in readiness for the elopement. Going down the street, stopped by Hastie Melhaven. “Did you hear the news?” he asked. rT Nope.” “Tucker Roone, old Gabe’s brat, is dead,” Hastie informed him. ‘““ What?” Manse exclaimed in surprise. “TI got it right I reckon. That little nigger named Buckety told me. I asked him how Tuck was, and he said he was dead. Told everybody the same thing, They always played together, and they both got blowed up together in the explo- sion. Everybody knows it but you.” Manse turned away, distressed at this news, and wishing he might go to Lois and console her. But the Roone home was not open to him and he could only write her a note of sympathy and wait until he could meet her away from her home. Of course, now all arrangements for their elopement must be abandoned until after the funeral. Manse hastened uptown and found that the news had spread every- where. Numbers of people were talking about it on the streets and all of them said that Buckety had told them. A number of men had telephoned their wives of the tragedy in the Roone family and they had gathered flowers and started for the house of sorrow. This gave Manse an idea. Jumping in his automobile, he raced up to his own home, cut the costliest and most beautiful flowers in his yard, tied them up in the best imitation he could remember of a floral offering, then, jumped into the machine and rode to the Roone house. Loading himself down with these floral offerings until he looked like the sacréd bull which the ancient Greeks used to adorn when set apart for sacrificial slaughter, he walked up the pavement and saw Roone occupying his favorite seat on the side porch near the pecan tree. He staggered around to where Roone sat, even as the sacrificial ox went toward the butcher who stood with a sharp knife in his hand. “fT am sorry to know the bad news, colo- Manse was COmmicloooks (C@