Argosy All-Story Weekly — 'The Metal Monster' — page 162: what you’re looking at

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

156 ) ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. ‘“‘ Where you going?” asked Aleck. “If we did that,” Aleck informed him, “I’m going out to get measured for a ‘“ Abdul might think we were trying to put coffin,” I told him, gloomily, “ and I advise something over on him—to get rid of him, you to do the same. This means war!” mInaybe—and he might be offended, and “What do you think hell do?” asked somehow we don’t feel just like offending Aleck. him.”’ “TJ don’t know,” { said. ‘“ But you can “T get you,” said Dunn. ‘He's got bet your life there’s going to be a Turkish your goat, eh? And that’s what you want atrocity of some kind, and it ain’t far dis- to do—get rid of him?” tant. Ill tell you what I think. I don’t ‘““ Between you and me and my partner, believe he’s going to use force, not right here,’ said Aleck, “ you’ve uttered a large away, anyhow; because if he was, he would heaping teaspoonful!” now be using it. I think he’s gomg to use “Hm,” said Dunn. “ Three hundred some kind of treachery, first; and whatever for flopping the Turk, and—Say! If a kind he uses, you can bet it will be a pretty fellow ’d guarantee to get rid of that guy slick piece of treachery; you know these for you, how much extra would it be Orientals are experts in such matters.” worth ?”’ - “ Well,” said Aleck, “considering Abdul © Well, it was a pretty hard matter th de- by and large, I think I prefer treachery to termme. In a way, the sky was the limit. force. Don’t be in a burry, Andy; sit But this began to look like business, and down, and ljet’s talk this thing over. Lis- Aleck Wheeler was always a pretty good ten. Suppose we-see the local authorities argainer, and so the figure he named Sean and have this guy put under bends to pre- fairly conservatrve. serve the peace, or whatever they call it? “ A hundred more,” stated Aleck. ““ ‘ With How does that hit you? If we did that—’” the understanding that there won’t be any But at.any rate, the meeting broke up comebacks—you know what I mean— shortly afterwards without our having come comebacks.” to any definite conclusion. Just then we “ TI guess we can do business,” said Dunn. had to go to the theater—did I say this “* Say,” said Aleck. ‘ Do you know any- was the morning after our premier perform- body that can hand this Oriental hired-man ance in that northerly Connecticut small- of ours a trimming?” , town?—but as soon as possible we’d take “Vl say I do,” sad Dunn. “ And up the matter again. Aleck thought it what’s more, you can get that extra hun- needed taking up again, and so did L_ dred ready. You’re going to lose it.” Meantime, I think I’m strictly within the “Who is he, and how—” Aleck began. truth when I say that Aleck and I were “ Nix,” said Jimmy Dutihn. “Do you worried and unhappy. We seemed to feel thik this is the first piece of business 1 something impending. —ever did? Ali I’ve got to say is, get the As we were making our way out through coin ready! I'll deliver the goods—to- the hotel lobby, a somewhat undersized night.” person with bandy legs stopped us; just a “ To-night?” repeated Aleck. shortish, nondescript-looking bird with bow- “You heard me,” said Jimmy Dunn. legs. He had an alert air, and he wanted I suppose there’s little use going into the to know if we were Wheeler and Bowman, itervening time. Aleck and I had high and we told him we were. He said his hopes, followed by periods of despondency. name was jimmy Dunn, and he’d heard we To be sure, Jimmy Dunn had impressed us were offering three hundred bucks on the as one speaking whereof he knew; but until quiet to the man who flattened the Terrible we'd had a chance to cast a series of eager Turk, and was that straight. We said it glances at Jimmy Dunn’s dark-horse, the surely was. supergent had proposed to take Abdul’s “ Why the gum-shoe stuff?” asked Dunn. measurement coming and going—until we'd a Why don’t you announce the full amount personally observed Abdul’s weak, sloping from the stage?”’ shoulders pimmed right to the mat, Aleck ECOMRRIC OG ? Colin