The Argosy for May — page 162: what you’re looking at

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

TWENTY-FOUR greatly strengthened. ‘That work is up to you. If you agree, as soon as we strike Broadway, you'll get the signed contracts and the advance royalties. Is it a bargain?” “ Here’s) my Walker’s answer. ‘Bully!’ cried Dempster in his hearty way. ‘Just ahead is the steam- ship office. We'll get your tickets changed; then, on to my hotel.” The cab pulled up at the curb, and both men sprang to the pavement. “While you’re inside, I’m going to telephone Miss Bailey,’”’ Dempster said. “You see, I told her nothing of my plans regarding your play until yester- hand on_ it,’ was TWENTY-FOUR By HOURS START. 349 day morning. I wanted to surprise her Thursday night with the good news. She told me then you had phoned her, but she did not know where you were. The clerk at the hotel where she dropped you informed us that you had left.” “And so I had.” Walker turned and looked the other straight in the eyes. “ Do you know, Dempster, that but for you I would have placed my play with Myers, the manager? ”’ “How is that?” the other queried in surprise. : “ Never mind now. This sidewalk is not the choicest place to converse. I'll explain some day.” HOURS START. BURKE JENKINS. The sad state of an ambitious young man doomed forever to be a trailer and worse. HE astrologer swore roundly, though not in Persian, when the little bell tinkled cheerily in an- nouncement of another arrival. Of course it meant more money, but even so public.a servant as a reader of the stars for struggling humanity cer- tainly must have some time to himself. It was already eleven-thirty, and he had made it a rule to give no audiences later than eleven. Indeed, when was he to get any sleep? Did he not have a date with a star that was to rise about 2 A.M., the meeting to take place on his roof, with a telescope as chaperon ? But though he grumbled thus, Chan- edra, the soothsayer, whose advertisement appeared every Sunday, tucked his feet into his tasseled slippers, drew on his somber cloak, dropped into his most effective stride, opened the door, and gave entrance to his visitor. That the young fellow who rushed in excitedly needed something was most evi- dent, and perhaps he was right in think- ing that here was the place he could get it. = “You are Chanedra, the astrologist?”’ he cried wildly. ‘I am,” admitted Chanedra calmly, both for effect and to moderate the oth- er’s nervousness. ‘“Won’t you be seat- ed? ” ; The young man sat down tentatively on the very edge of the chair indicated and jumped into wordiness. ‘Now, it isn’t that I’ve got any faith in predictions or fortune-telling, or any- thing of that sort,” he began, “ but it’s just as the very last resort. This thing’s got to be stopped ; it’s got to be explained, or something. It’s getting too much for me!” “Just a minute, my dear fellow,” in- terrupted Chanedra coldly. “If you have no faith, why are you here? And if I am to follow your story, suppose you be- gin with some common source that both of us can understand.” The evenness of the astrologer’s tone told upon the youth. “IT never noticed the thing until after I had graduated from college,” he went on in a far more collected manner. ‘ In- deed, the very first instance was the time I tried to-start The Galloper.” “You are still too vague for me,” broke in the seer. “ Well, then, [ll state facts as clearly - GO 0)(0)(6) AMG <S (CO)