Argosy, Vol. 147, No. 1 — page 127: what you’re looking at

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

* You always But ev for one reason or an- = I secntncs me. You have just ‘been married. Why not take a long wed- ding trip? You ought to go to Niagara and all the other places. Give the little lady a little treat. Eh? What? You are think- ing that vacation trips cost money?” . fine!” he cried. Sey fellow. Congratulations. “Yes,” replied Ames, meditatively, “they do take money.” ‘“ Sometimes,” persisted — the colonel, “they take a lot of money.” “ Yes,” assented the little man with mo- notonous iteration, “sometimes they take a lot of money.” The colonel was positively beaming now. “ That,” he said, ‘‘ explains my presence here this evening. You can turn your head away and I’m going to lay something on your desk. You don’t see me put it there and I won’t see you pick it up. Nobody will be the wiser. I hope you get me?” Amos stared at Colonel Hartman while he spoke, and presently the lobbyist opened his coat and pulled out a long waillet. He reached in and carefully brought out a one- thousand-dollar bank note and laid it on the edge of the little desk. Amos gazed on it like a man fascinated. Then the tempter brought out another until five crisp notes of the same denomination lay there in a heap. The colonel put his wallet back in his pocket and arose with the smile of a phil- anthropist on his broad face. He made a gesture of farewell that was intended to in- clude them both, and then exclaimed: “Now, what do you think of your friend Colonel Hartman?” Jenny Briggs, on the other side of the room, watched this performance with the in- tensified interest of a spectator at a play. Her heart went pit-a-pat, and an invisible hand seemed to be clutching at her throat. She tried to speak, but her voice failed her. {t suddenly seemed to her that Amos was drowning and that she was powerless to save him. She was gazing at him out of distended eyes when he slowly arose and faced the big man. He licked his lips tag ie of his tongue, and began to nag ae Pm oe 1 Pe) Ae Soe Yo Ae tte | “THE ADVENTURES OF PEABODY ee Soe =< Bee. ~ “ You’ve asked me a q estio’ ion, “ and I’m going +o anaes Tt are a dirty cur! You have the s man, but you are not aman at a wouldn’t use you to bass, my feet ¢ known this was coming for @ Tong ti I wondered whether you’d have t to go ahead with it.” Colonel Hartman looked at the li mer as if he thought he had oes heard his opening sentence with a As Amos went on, the face of the I y turned white, and a sickly smile ¢ mo about his lips. seo - “ Do—do I understand that y want the money?” he managed ics ‘“‘ Understand?” shouted Amos, Fé voice. “ Why, you whiteveredb bla hearted, double-faced, snake-eyed ct son of a sea cook, I wouldn’t tou tainted money with a forty-foot f “ Not so loud,” cautioned ceed lips trembling; “ some one will he ar oat ‘‘T want to be heard,” shouted A : , eyes flashing and his tanned face r er “Tm sick and tired of your whi rae and your lick-spittle talk, TPve g things to tell you and I want bing “T think I’d better be going,” man with a badly forced laugh; se — don’t seem tobe getting along.” % “ Jenny,” cried Amos, turning | sudder to his wife, “ lock the door. = g° ee arguments to present to this fake colot and I don’t want him to leave 1 — ie through.” oes ae ‘“What do you mean by 2 said Hartman, his face as white a “ These,” exulted Amos, ing a sturdy arms in the air, “ two of t convincing arguments you meee They’re not the kind you're z and they may do you a lot Ga Jenny Briggs, in a sudden ¢ had turned the key in the oc, it in her pocket. Her heart w but it was with ao failed her, and she was ¢ piest moment of her life. The > th he might be in personal dang “ Get over nearer the 1 = ee : omicbooks. com wi Pe * ee ‘6