Argosy All-Story Weekly, October 25, 1924 — page 142: what you’re looking at

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

182 made me believe he wouldn’t be in Crescent at all, that I could see him at Red Bluff on the way down. And one of ’em told me a pitiful tale about a rancher out in the coun- try near Crescent—a man with a sick wife and child and no money. He made me feel sorry for the rancher, and he told me the fellow had a lot of peaches for sale. I re- membered what you said about buying peaches, and went out to see him. “Well, the poor devil was up against it, all right, and I forgot everything Smithson ever said about hammering down prices. I pitied him—you would have, too, if you could have seen him, and his wife, and the fight they were making. Several buyers had tried to sting him—one of our men among them; they knew what he was up against, and were waiting until he had to sell, at any price. What they offered him wouldn’t have paid for a tenth of his work. He was bitter against the whole fruit in- dustry; at first he wouldn’t talk to me at all, “ That’s the way the farmers are get- ting, too, everywhere! Well, when I saw what he had been through—and saw that the buyers were a pack of wolves waiting for him to weaken—it got me. I offered him a fair price, and he took it. I suppose Smithson and you will say I was crazy, that we might have waited until his wife was dying and bought for next to nothing. i guess I’m no good as a buyer.” “And the Northern Stores manager?” “YT missed him, of course. When I got to Red Bluff, he had gone to Crescent, as they knew he would. . So I guess somebody else sold them. [ lost out there, and I paid a good deal more for the peaches than was necessary.” Mr. Spear did not speak for several mo- ments. “Tm sorry,” he said then, “ that you have had such luck, and weren’t resource- ful enough to turn a failure into a success. I had hoped that you would take advantage of the opportunity I gave you. By the way, did you tell your poor rancher about being held up?” ‘“ Why—yes, I believe I did tell him. Why?” THE ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. “TI received a curious letter this morn- ing,” said Mr. Spear. “ Let me see. Yes, here it is.” : | The letter was no more than an illiterate, anonymous, penciled scrawl. It read: ‘““ Made a mistake when I stuck up that young Adams feller. He’s a square shoot- er. Give him this.” “Did he send the money?” cried Bob. “Yes, here it is. Do you suppose there’s any connection between your poor rancher and your bold bandit? Shall we swear out a warrant against him?” ‘There was a live- ly gleam in Spear’s eyes. ‘““No,.no! Icouldn’t identify him!” Bob exclaimed. But now he remembered that both of the men—rancher and bandit—had been tall and awkward looking, The ban- dit had worn a beard; the rancher was smooth shaven. Still, razors— Spear cut into his reflections. *“* Also,” he said, ‘‘ we received a fair- sized order this morning from the Northern Stores Company. I’m sorry to disappoint you, but you’re not exceptionally bad as a salesman—or a buyer. In fact, you can have that buyer’s job at once—if you want at:?? “Want it? Good Lord, I—’ Bob seized his hand, and, suddenly, turned to the door. “Where are you going?” “To see Betty—Miss Burgess, I mean,” Bob shouted. ‘“ I want her to hear you say that!” “Miss Burgess is at home, ill!” Mr. Spear informed him. “Til? Seriously ill?” ‘No, I’m not!” said a gay, lilting voice from the doorway. “I’m right here, and I did hear what he said, Bob!”’ “ Betty!” Mr. Spear glanced at his watch, and again took up his golf clubs. ‘“‘ H-m! Not enough time for nine holes, even. Business, business, all the time. And when it isn’t business, it’s love! H-m!” His tone was the awe-inspiring one, but he was smiling as he closed the door. The others didn’t know, for many minutes, that he had gone. END Go NOOK =) a (C@