The Argosy, Christmas 1912 — page 172: what you’re looking at

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

158 and beginning to get into his shoes, “ is it right, Miles, to make a graft of it?” “Why not? Before we took hold the weather business was in the hands of a trust. We've driven out the trusts, cornered the muglugs and set the people to work. We charge only half what the trust charged for weather, and everybody ought to be satisfied.” “Glad to hear you have cut the prices, but driving out one trust and re- placing it with another isn’t just the thing, is it? And in the case of a pub- lic necessity, like the weather, shouldn’t the government have control? ”’ “That's what it has,” grinned Jer- nyngham; “ we're the government in the State of New York. But we won’t discuss this at present. I’m hungry and was just going to have breakfast. Join me, and we'll talk as we eat. Simpson, 5!” he shouted. Simpson appeared in the door of the chart-room. “ Double that breakfast order,” said Jernyngham. “ Two portions ham and eggs. By the way, Lumley, how do you like your eggs?” _ “Turned over,’ answered Lumley, brightening with pleasant anticipations. ‘““ Remember that, Simpson, 5,” went on Jernyngham. “ Double up on the fried potatoes, the buttered toast and the coffee. Also lay covers for two, for I have,” and here he gave a droll wink, “a hundred and thirty pounds of rain-plugs to breakfast with me.” - Simpson smiled faintly and with- drew. Jernyngham lifted his feet, to the top of his desk and tilted back com- fortably in his office-chair. “We kept track of you fairly well yesterday by means of the transmits,” said he, “‘ up to the time you vanished in Kennedy’s back yard. What hap- pened to you after that?” Lumley recounted his experiences. 'As he talked he watched Simpson set- ting a table with white linen, blue china and shining spoons and cutlery. These preparations, in view of the fact that he had had a “ vaporized ” dinner the bf THE ARGOSY. day before, and no supper, cheered him tremendously. Throughout the recital Jernyngham gave Lumley his absorbed attention. “Whew!” exclaimed the weather dictator, when the story was done, ‘you fellows did have a time of it, and no mistake. Smith, 2006, was a pes- tiferous person, and I am glad he has been put out of the way. But your situation, Lumley, was not so perilous as it appeared. Those guards would never have dared to annihilate you with their electric guns. They knew too well that the vengeance of the dictators would be swift and sure.” “If you men have the whole city under your control,’ asked Lumley, “how is it possible for any of the citi- zens of the period to defy your authority?” “That was because they had Dr. Kelpie,” explained Jernyngham. “They used the doctor as a club, threatening him with death if we did not give up the important posts we occupy. Find- ing their threats would not intimidate us, Smith, 2006, used the doctor’s time-machine to go back into the past after more of you fellows. The situa- tion was becoming pretty serious,’ and Jerry Dicks evolved that plot to help you escape. We know, now, why you anticipated’ Dicks’s activities. Of course, we’re not out of the woods yet, by a long shot, but we’re going to hang on to our powers and prerogatives. It’s great, Lumley, for a bunch of year 1900 men to boss this year 2000! If you had a hand in the game you’d know how we feel.” “You'll have to leave these times, Miles,” said Lumley. . “ We came to rescue you and you've got to go back with us.” ; Jernyngham shook his head. “ Don’t you believe it! We're doing a splendid work here, and Tod Plunkett is planning to extend our power over the whole country. We'll never leave, Lumley.” “But what will happen to Gig Lindley?” cried Lumley. CoOMmicbook CO