Argosy, Vol. 123, No. 1 — page 69: what you’re looking at

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

NEW STUFF stall us off, and then—zip! He’d move. Not a wonderful system exactly, but he prob’ly found it cheaper than buyin’ fur- . niture. “Tf you give Mr. Taylor some money,” I inform him, ‘ we’ll be convinced of your honesty and we’ll get out.” “Well, I ain’t got no money,” says El- liot. ‘‘ My wife carries the dough for the family. She’s out now, but, when she- comes back—”’ ‘We'll take no chances, Mr. Taylor,” I tell Ed. One hatrack, two glass vases, one—” I stop with the next item, whatever it was, on my lips; for the door of the flat. suddenly opens and in pops the lady who carried the money for Elliot’s household. One glance at her and you seen the rea- son she carried the money; also, you were given reason to suspect why Elliot had dodged payin’ Flubb & Company for twelve years. about five foot eleven, and weighin’ not an ounce less than a hundred and ninety. She had a sweet, kind expression to her face— like a river-front bartender of the old days, and it became even more so as she spots us. ‘Mortimer Elliot,” she addresses our host, “‘ who’re these men?”’ ‘A sheriff,” says Elliot, lector for Flubb. s ‘Put them out!’ screams the missus. “We ain’t goin’ to be bothered by—” ‘Now, madam,” I say, usin’ my softest tone, we’re here doin’ our duty. It’s a ‘painful duty, Pll admit, but it’s got to be done. man—”’ “Huh!” she snorts. 7 “__an intelligent man,” I go on, “has seen there wasn’t no use of fightin’ with us, and he said you’d give us some money when—’’ “Money!” money!” ‘Just a little,” I tell her, “a dollar or so. Otherwise, I’ll have to help Mr. Tay- lor here take this furniture away—”’ ‘““You’ll—what!” she yelps. “ You'll take my furniture away?”’ ‘Not your furniture, madam, ‘‘ I remind her, “ until it’s paid for.’’: ‘and a col- she gasps. Give you— FOR ELLIOT. The missus was a cute little thing,. Your husband, bein’ an intelligent. og “It’s my furniture!” that lays a hand on it!” “Well, madam,” I inform her, “ you can duck the necessity for commitin’ murder by payin’ Mr. Taylor—”’ “Not a cent!” she snaps. You!” she calls Elliot. “This is your fault! If you’d been half a man you’d have thrown these fellers down stairs in- stead of —” “Them two big guys?” cuts in Elliot. ‘ Me—throw them down-stairs. “Now, listen, lady,” I say. ‘ There ain’t nothin’ you can gain by actin’ rough. We're here for one of two things—money or furniture. If we don’t get one, why, we got to take the other.” She strides over to the doorway, takes a firm hold on the back of a chair and glares at me with a sort of a sneakin’ little smile at the corners of her mouth. “Well, young man,” she says, “ there’s no money comin’ to you. take the furniture. Well, why don’t you take it?” she asks me, her grin gettin’ wider when I don’t move. ‘I won’t hurt you— much!’ she promises, heftin’ the chair she’s holdin’ in a way I don’t like at all. “Why, I—I got to do this thing legal,” I tell her. ‘‘ Mr. Taylor and me ain’t fur- niture movers. We—” ‘““Go get your movers!” she bids me. ‘Tl be waitin’ for them—right here!” Ed Taylor starts slidin’ toward the door. “ You got sense, young man!” the missus laughs at him. ‘ You're gettin’ out 0’ here before I start things.” “Mrs. Elliot,” I say, “ you’re actin’ in a highly—er—unladylike manner.” ) “But I notice I’m keepin’ my furniture,” she grins. ‘You are only puttin’ things off,” I tell her. ‘“ The day of reckonin’ is upon you. To-morrow——” ‘Well, what about to-morrow?” she in- quires when I pause. “To-morrow,” I say, ‘‘ I—I—”’ ‘I’m listenin’,” she tells me. “To-morrow,” I repeat, ready to tell her anything just so long as it will let me get out of her flat with my health, “ I—I— I’m goin’ to sell this furniture at auction,” ‘The idea! cCoOmiclboooks she screeches. © “ Every stick is mine—and I'll kill the man Go ahead and. C©