Argosy All-Story Weekly — 'The Metal Monster' — page 141: what you’re looking at

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

-BEWARE OF ‘. “Ts that what you ‘were begging it for, before?” “Yes, it is, Tom. You know it now, and—I do beg your pardon! iI—I don’t know what’s the matter with me.” ‘“ Neither do I, Bill. Let it go at that,” Thomas smiled faintly, as he shook the hand. ‘“ Now, if you really need help, tell me what the trouble actually is and if there’s anything I can do to aid, I'l] be glad to do it.” William dropped weakly into a chair and smiled. ‘““Mary’s—somewhere in town and I can’t find her. That’s all. She was to have met me at the train, Tom, and she didn’t. I‘can’t imagine—”’ “Have you called up all her friends?” “Er—no. None of them.” ‘Or her doctor? She may have been taken ill.” “Eh? No!” | “You just assumed that Mary, your wife, whom I’ve known since she was a lit- tle Rid, and whom I respect as much as 1 would my sister or my wife—you simply assumed that Mary had come here for some disgraceful affair! Is that it?” Thomas de- manded harshly. — ' William Emerson bowed his head and bit his lips. “I—I’m ashamed of myself, Tom,” he mumbled brokenly. . “i beg your pardon and—and hers, too! I—ought to be shot!” “ That’s the first really intelligent re- mark you’ve made ‘so far!’’ young Mr. Henning snapped. ‘“ All right. I'll help you—but it’s for Mary’s sake, Bill, Ill ad- mit. Take a cigarette and make yourself comfortable. Ii have to dispose of this drunk first?”’ t His cold, accusing eye left William and he took the telephone book from the shelf beneath the little stand. William turned a dull eye upon the armor. * 'Who’s the souse?”’ he demanded, unin- terestedly. “Weldon Pitt!” “‘ Not the deacon’s son?” cried William. “ The same Weldon!” | “1 thought he never took a drink! He and his father are the two best bets this town ever had as prohibition speakers.” THE BRIDE. . 185 ‘ His father is still; Weldon isn’t!” said Thomas as he ran through the leaves of the directory. “ Weldon’s gone plumb to the demnition bow-wows this last two months. I don’t know what started him, but he’s going fast, Bill, and he seems to have fallen in love with me since he took to the stuff.” ~ “ And that’s Weldon—drunk!” Wilitam muttered. | “That’s Weldon! They chucked him out of the bali across the street and he came to me for sympathy about two min- utes after you left, Bul,’ sighed Thomas, as he picked up the receiver. “ Let him alone. I want to talk to his sister Dora.” He gave his number and took to hum- ming as he waited. William dropped back and heaved a great sigh. “ Hello!” said Thomas. “‘ I want to talk to Miss Pitt—Miss Dora Pitt! Oh, is that you, Dora? Well, this is Tom Henning!” He hitched about, so that his words might travel directly to the iron helmet, and his speech grew even slower and more distinct. ~“ Dora!” said Thomas. “Js there any _one near enough to hear what I’m saying? All right! Fine! Listen carefully. Wel- don’s down here. at my flat—drunk!”’ - What was almost a scream set the dra- phragm to squawking! Thomas shook his head sympathetically. ‘I know it is, Dora—awful, incredible!” he agreed. “I know—what? Yes, com- pletely. He can’t any more than walk. Oh, no, he isn’t ill at all; he’s just simply —what I told you. Well, don’t cry, Dora!” Thomas said hastily. “‘ These things ‘happen to the best of us, I under- stand, and to-morrow he'll be all t and no bones broken. You sec, he went to the ball to-night, and some of the rough ele- ment over there may have done fe for a joke. ” He waited again, while the receiver — worked violently. He smiled at William Emerson, too. “¢ Been at it for two recntion but it’s as much of a shock to them every time, I sup- pose,” he said, very softly. There isn’t any need of your father or any one else learning of this if you'll just do as “ Hello, Dora! | COUMIUC DOO co wo