The Argosy, Vol. 90 No. 1 — page 143: what you’re looking at

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

PETROLEUM PRINCE. at that moment, felt almost as if she could hug him. ‘“ Didn’t you try to bamboozle poor old John C. Prince of Oklahoma out of twice the rent this house was worth?” “Take him away!” cried Mr. Harlin- good. Prince did not mind paterfamilias, for he was not yet through with her whom he had well divined to be the head of the family. “Ts it any worse for Hoffman House Charlie,” he continued to Mrs. Harlingood, “to want to mix with nifty folks than it is for you to tell your poor cousin to get out of the house for working in a barber-shop?” This was the last straw. Mrs. Harlin- good set her chin and her mouth assumed its thin hard line. “‘T agree with my husband,” she sternly answered. ‘You should be vigorously prosecuted.” The arch swindler was in fine fettle, and not to be halted now. “ That’s right!” he answered, swinging into his stride. ‘“ Go for the crooks. And keep on teaching your children deceit and false pride by living in a back room where it’s unhealthy when they might as well be out in the good air.” This enraged Fane. It was too much hu- miliation to expect her mother to endure, especially in front of Jack. “Mother! Father!’ she admonished. “The man is a viper. Don’t bandy words with him.” She turned pleadingly to Welling: “ Jack,” she said, “‘ Don’t you think it better to let him go? He has no stolen goods.” “ What’s that?” Welling interrupted her, and was on the verge of reminding her of the diamond, but the look she gave him said that she had not forgotten, and she added under her breath that he could take that from the prisoner first, concluding, out loud, with: ‘‘ Do let him go—and mother will be so grateful.” From the beginning the tide of compas- sion had flowed peculiarly in the Harlin- good family, one in which it appeared to be of particular moment whose ox was gored. When the father was being ridiculed it was Fane and her mother who were most eager to give the prisoner his liberty; now 137 that they were being toasted over the keen fire of his ungainly wit, the father changed his mind. He had had a few moments on the side lines to observe the unequal battle and he had been doing some quick thinking. He now came forward ponderously and with an assumption of compassion. “Perhaps, Welling,” he said, coughing hesitantly, “ it might be’ better to let him go. In fact, I have decided not to prosecute.” “What!” cried Jack, astonished at the quick flop from unrelenting animosity to this merciful consideration. He did not re- alize that Mr. Harlingood had enjoyed sev- eral minutes of advance sampling of what the family might expect in court from such an unbridled tongue. Of course, the rogue richly deserved the worst that could be meted out to him, but, concluded he who in the last analysis would be responsible for the family honor, there should be a discretion employed in all prose- cution, and after reflection this seemed to be the place for a very wise discretion. ‘I think, the law will be satisfied,” con- tinued Mr. Harlingood, “‘ if you permit him to go. No actual harm has been done. He has no stolen goods; the check has not been cashed. Return it to him and he can go his way. I am a mild-mannered man, and while I realize my duty to the community it does not seem to me that in this instance the probable notoriety would warrant my seizure of this—this—person.” The “ person ” chuckled deeply at this and looked to Una. She felt ashamed of herself for meeting his eye with a responsive twinkle. Jack was not eager to let the fellow go. In fact, he may be suspected at that mo- ment of purposely delaying the negotiations in anticipation of the arrival of the police, for whom he had phoned and who were al- ready unaccountably detained. While he doubtless desired to retain Fane’s good graces, still he could not be anxious to let escape so notable a criminal, whose taking could only redound to his lasting benefit, and also help him in earning the respect of her family. ‘“‘T haven’t searched him carefully,” tem- porized Jack. ‘‘ He may have other jewelry about him.” comicbool< CO