Argosy All-Story Weekly, August 9, 1924 — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

166 _ agreed. And he’ll do it—he’ll do it even if it does sound like a radio entertainment broadcasted from a psychopathic ward. With a fish spear and a bull and a circle for the sun and a new moon, he’ll undertake to shed a ray or two of light on the situa- tion that’s got Haddon hipped. Mean- while I get a hunch based on the fact that Haddon’s a level-headed party and wouldn’t have sent that letter unless he was convinced that there was elements in this matter needin’ a lot more understanding in handling than he could give ’em himself.” As a matter of fact, there was precedent for his words. Ere this, Dual had upon occasion taken us with him, used us for the gaining of material evidence in more than one human tangle in which he had involved himself. For though he relied mainly upon his own methods for gaining an insight into any such matter, yet he was not one to ask from men of objective viewpoint a credence he was unable to objectively support. ‘“‘ Material evidence for material man,” he had said to me many times in the past. And proof of that very nature was some- thing I had never yet known him to fail to give. “ Still,” I said, ‘“‘ even though he discov- ers something in the nature of what you suggest, it doesn’t necessarily follow that he will ask us to go out there.” Jim grinned. ‘“ Not necessarily,” he re- peated. “ But—I’ve never been to Nogales, and—”’ “The wish is father to the thought,” I interrupted with a laugh. His grin became a chuckle. “ Well, it’s been quite a while since the three of us sat in a real game, and I’m raisin’ swivel chair callouses instead of corns these days. Come on down and let’s clear things up. It won’t do no harm whether Semi decides to give Haddon a hand or not.” The result was that we spent the rest of the day arranging with Miss Newell, our chief clerk, to look after what routine mat- ters we had in hand, in case we should be absent from the city, thereby awakening a growing question in Danny Quinn’s green- ish hazel eyes. Dan was red headed, with a shrewd little brain beneath his brick dust thatch. Jim ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. had dubbed him the “ young sleuth,” after graduating him from the ranks of the new- sies to a position as office boy, and had pretty well enshrined himself as a mark to shoot at in Danny’s heart. He had been with us for several years, and we had re- cently put him in charge of our record files. Furthermore, Danny knew Dual, and Semi had actually used the lad in the last case in which we had asked for his aid. Hence it was not surprising that along toward the heel of the afternoon Danny should have addressed Bryce in a half awed whisper: “Say, Mr. Jim, when you and Mr. Glace left here this morning, did you go up on the roof?” Or that Jim should have answered: “Why, yes, if *twill ease your soul to know it, we did, young sleuth.” ““ An’—you’re goin’ somewhere—with— him?” Danny swallowed. I saw the muscles of his throat contract. And I saw Jim’s brown eyes twinkle. “Well, Danny,” he said, “‘ there’s noth- in’ certain in life. If you don’t believe it, ask Father Ryan an’ see if he don’t say I’m right.” “Aw!” Danny looked down, and then up and straight into Jim’s face. ‘‘ Where you goin’, Mr. Jim?” Bryce grinned. He was a bachelor, but he treated Dan pretty much like his own kid. “We was thinkin’ some of runnin’ down to Nogales on the Mex border, Danny.” ‘Where they’re always fightin’?” Dan’s face was avid in a flash. ** Now, now—that’s the Irish in you, Danny,” Bryce said with a chuckle. “ Pax Vobiscum, as Father Ryan would put it, or in United States—shut up.” ‘““You expect to be gone long?” Nellie Newell questioned. ‘We ain’t even sure we’re goin’,” Jim told her. ‘‘ We’re just takin’ a leaf out of the foolish virgins’ book an’ gettin’ our lamp all trimmed in case we’re called on to shed a little light.” He dug a black cigar out of a pocket, bit off the end, fired it evenly with a match, and looked at me as he blew out a mouthful of smoke. CoOMmiclooo (-) SS (C@) nn