Argosy, Vol. 147, No. 1 — page 128: what you’re looking at

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

ae 1e moved slightly, the young farmer ‘im a wallop in the jaw that sent him g into the corner. He recovered, * toward Amos, doubled his fist rwroerineg aol z Yo! ae invited violence,” he quivered, ‘and —o have to take the conse- 4+ 1€ Ait ce | Cons quences hell!’’ screamed the now oro sughly aroused one. “Why, you m’t the courage of a cat. You're a ed shirt. You’re a big worm,” and he _ words failing him, he pitched in and e the big man a drubbing that blacked eyes, caused his nose to bleed, and left wall but a physical wreck. “He > sat down, panting, while Hartman, h all of the dignity he was able to as- , took out his handkerchief and wiped is hands and nose. Then, getting up, he Iked toward the table and reached for ave one-thousand-dollar bills. ; ote Hands off!” shouted Amos. | He artman looked amazed, and then a is to curl about his bruised lips. | So, ” he said huskily, ‘‘ you are going to take the money after all?” No, ” replied Amos, “ but I can’t let you go without showing you a little hospitality.” sn, turning to his wife, he said: “ Jenny, 5 have one of your sandwiches for Col- > Daintily she tripped to the rear of the oom and brought two tiny slices of bread with h a leaf of lettuce and covered with her inc mpar able dressing. Amos took the food, Lor sning the slices of bread, deftly in- othe bank notes from the table. .” he said, handing the remarkable 1 to the lobbyist, ‘‘ eat that!” ) Wh ha 1o—do “bg mean?” stammered Ju ‘what I say. I made you eat your d now I’m going to make you Yo re > crazy,” cried Hartman, “ you’ve oug a without this nonsense.” wa. in the eyes of Amos aa eae ae Tike a 7 ,. me a ore " “Pe e . iss. w,! ~ “Ae 6 dite : ; al a ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. Colonel Hartman felt the apprehension — that one feels in the presence of a violent — lunatic, and humiliating and absurd as it — was, he slowly ate every crumb of the most expensive sandwich ever prepared in Al- bany. As he finished, Amos took the key from Jenny, whistled down the corridor, and the next moment Peabody Smith entered the room, smilingly. | ‘‘ Did he eat it?’”’ he asked significantly. “ Ves,” smiled Amos, “ and enjoyed it. Don’t you notice him licking his lips?” The detective turned on Hartman and spoke to him in the tone of a judge address- ing the prisoner at the bar. “Hartman,” he said, “ there’s a train leaving here to-night. If you are not out of the city and State in twelve hours, I'll send you to the penitentiary!” For a moment the bedraggled one made a show of resistance. “T]J—T'll not stand for this outrage,” he cried. “ I'll tell the whole story!” Peabody Smith laughed. “ What! ‘Tell the truth and make your- self the joke of the whole State? You know better than that, Hartman.” The King of the Lobbyists confessed de- feat, for he turned and slunk out of the room, like a dog with its tail between its legs. “The next morning, when the Monroe Traction bill came up for final passage, Amos Briggs voted “ No,” in a voice that could be heard all over the chamber, and the measure went down to merited defeat. The most astonished man in the State capi- tal was Mr. Edward Knight, president of the Monroe Traction Company. He shook his head as one who has lost faith in human nature. ‘They told me in the beginning,” he con- fided to a mutual friend, “ that Hartman had chalked the hat of ‘this man Briggs. But to make sure, he went to see him last night, Now Hartman has disap ; * 3 I can’t make head or tail out of the ness, I trusted him implicitly, and now he’s run away with my five thousand de ats And for years that wes aa eae ies! connected ected with | thes yi Ae 4 fe Rf ; * b / os A ee es oe he AL JAYNE! com