Argosy All-Story Weekly, June 27, 1925 — page 121: what you’re looking at

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

THROW UP YOUR HANDS. “That ain’t money!” he gasped. “ That there’s a book: Ya shore that’s all there is in the bag, Marge?” She shook the tattered bag, but it di- vulged nothing more. “Do ya mean t’ tell me,” Friday de- manded wrathfully, “ that we held up th’ stage and went through hell and high water, and. risked our lives time and agin—fer a second class mail sack with a book in it! Wall, son,” he went on indignantly, ‘ you kin have th’ privilege and th’ honor. of de- liverin’ that mailsack to Rattlesnake Junc- tion. Ya kin jest count me out.” Margery was scrutinizing the name on the wrapper. “Why!” she cried softly. “It’s ad- dressed to you, Larry! It’s a—it’s a—” ‘T know what it is,” the young man snarled. ‘It’s a mail order catalogue I sent for two weeks ago. Thraw the foal thing away. I ain’t interested in buyin’ “Wait a minute,” Friday protested. “ Afore ya throw it away, let me look at th’ pitchers.” ‘“Let’s not throw it away at all,” the girl suggested softly. ‘“ Maybe—well, who knows?” Red Wilpin arose slowly to his feet. That sentimental note no longer struck a respon- sive chord. Sourly, he looked down at his professed sweetheart and his ancient and faithful retainer. “T don’t know what I’m a goin’ to do,” he announced bitterly, “‘ but I sure ain’t a goin’ to repeat the mistakes I’ve been mak- in’ in the last couple o’ days. Al that’s happened to me has been just one long series o’ misfortunes. I ain’t got an ideal left. You see standin’ before you one mighty disillusioned man. What have I gote”’ “Vou've got me,” Margery said wist- fully. “ Wait a minute," he snapped. “ Aside from acquirin’ a fiancée who ain't done 8 doggoned thing from start to finish but get me into one kettle o’ hot water after an- other—” “ But you love me, don’t you, Larry?” ““T ain’t talkin’ ahout love. I’m speak- in’ about what I've got. When IJ get through o17 estimatin’ what you’re warth, well, what have 1? Yesterday mormin’—and it seems like some time last century to me—I got the bright idea af stickin’ up th’ stage coach, so I could catch me same saxyphone lessons from old Doc Saunders over here in Yumpa. And th’ fust thing I hear when I git to Yumpa is that Doc Saunders was killed in a knife fight. * As if that ain’t enough misfortune, then I go and play the wheel and shoot some dice; and I clean up enough money to fix me nice and cozy for a couple o’ years. Then I fix up a scheme to make a killin’ by put- tin’ a good, stiff water tax on Yumpa. And I acquire me a nice Swiss watch that tin- kles off the time when you press a little button. “Well, what bave I got out of it? I’m Stripped! My watch is gone, my roll is gone, somebody even took off of me the silk bandanna I bought down at Cheyenne. There ain’t any justice in the world, that’s what I’m a tryin’ to tell you! I’ve been toa lenient, that’s the whole trouble. I’ve been too.kind and generous to folks. From now on I’m goin’ ta quit bein’ just kind o’ bad; I’m goin’ to turn real bad. And havin’ ‘you along sure does complicate matters, Margie.” She looked at him coldly. “I haven't any use for a whiner, and that’s what you are—now, Larry Wilpin. I should think you'd have sense enough to realize, after Seeing what happened to those unfortunate wretches down there, that crime in any form does not pay. Until yesterday, you were a simple, honest mountaineer. You've proved to every one’s satisfaction but your own that banditry is poorly paid.” “You wait ’til I git started!” “You aren’t going to get started. You're going back to your farm and—make it pay! And I’m going back there with you and make a comfortable home for you. What you need is a firm, guiding hand. And I’ve got it. You're a bright young man, but you change your mind too often.” “You shore spake a mouthful then, gal,” Friday put in feelingly. Red Wilpin tumed on him. “ What have you got to say about it?” he snapped. “A fine business man you are! TI send you COMmica@oo SS Co