Argosy All-Story Weekly, October 25, 1924 — page 118: what you’re looking at

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

108 for doing this, but I won’t. I know why you insist on coming between Bertram and me, and in a way I sympathize with you. It was unfair of me to let you believe I had a personal interest in you when I hadn’t. “ But your efforts to blacken the charac- ter of the man I propose to marry, first by lying about him and now by sending this fake notice, is too much. Last time I over- looked your offense, but this time I can’t, and I won’t. Mr. McCandless will give you your time and then you can make tracks out of here.” Finnerty’s face resembled sealing wax held over a candle. “‘ All—all right,” he stammered. how—how did you know?” “ By the postmark, you simpleton. The envelope is supposed to have come from New York, but it’s postmarked Great Falls. You were in Great Falls yesterday. So what could be more simple?” The lady stepped to the door and called to her fiancé, who was out in the yard. “ Bertram will give you your time check and then you can drift,” she told Finnerty. “That is if he doesn’t beat you up first.” The defeated plotter reflected that, for all he cared, anybody might beat him up. Even McCandless. He felt as small and useless as a glowworm in daylight. He waited in dumb misery for McCandless to enter and figure up his time. That was what a man got for trying to save a woman from her folly. McCandless was a worth- less hound. His mind wandered as the minds of con- demned men are said to wander when the electric chair straps are being adjusted. He THE “ But Le} U ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. recollected a motto he had once read: “ For- tune Favors the Brave.” Hah! Fortune Favors the Knave would be more like it. McCandless entered. “Take a look at that,” said the widow, and laid the fake man-wanted circular on the counter in front of her fiancé. McCandless picked it up. Then a strange thing happened, His handsome face went white as milk. He sagged against the counter. His breath came in gasps. Into his cowlike eyes came the hunted look of a coyote. Finnerty noted this. For once his mind worked with marvelous quickness. Like a wildcat he sprang. He and McCandless went to the floor together and rolled over and over. “* Rope—quick!” Automatically Alice Maloney obeyed that authoritative voice, so like her departed husband’s. In ten seconds Finnerty had McCandless trussed up like a fowl. He phoned the sheriff and then surveyed his captive with a grim smile. ‘“‘So-ho, me bucko! You are a wanted man, after all. That notice was only a fake, but it got you just the same.” The sheriff arrived and took his prisoner away. He would quickly learn where and by whom the fellow was wanted, he said. Alice Maloney cried a little, then dried her tears and tried to smile. “‘ Finnerty,” she said, “ you don’t have to leave me now. I’m terribly sorry I didn’t treat you right about that first reward no- tice. Drop in to-morrow night, when I’m feeling better and we’ll have a little chat.” END U THE 185TH NOVEL, ORIGINALLY PRINTED SERIALLY IN THIS MAGA- ZINE, TO BE PUBLISHED IN BOOK FORM IS THE LOCKED BOOK By FRANK L. PACKARD Author ot “ The Miracle Man,” “ The Four Stragglers,”’ etc. (Arcosy-ALLSTORY WEEKLY, May 24 to July 5, 1924.) Published in book form by The George H. Doran Company, New York. Price $2.00. (C@ ANUC VOOLKS (C@