Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 140: what you’re looking at

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

yee can yt — | —— Me started up the street, and Springtime waited until he was well out of sight before he dodged into the telegraph office and sent a message to his friend, the fence. Find out if there is iron dog in the yard of Mrs. K. Martin, 10 Harrison Street. Wire T. Osborne, collect. He signed his moniker of Springtime, for the good reason that no man on the road knew him by any other name. When. he k in the house one shrewd twinkle was bac from Osborne’s eye told him that the old man knew what was in the wind. When the door bell rang the head of the house got up with a grumbled, “ That’s for me. I’m expecting a telegram.” He came back into the dining room and finished his supper in a silence which Springtime and Kitty tried hard to keep from being sus- piciously electric. When Osborne had fin- ‘shed he lighted a cigar and strolled out into the darkness of the lawn, and after a moment Springtime followed. “The iron dog’s there,’ said the old man. ‘I'll miss the little devil. Don’t know but what I'll keep track of him and see that he gets an education. He’s bright __.what he needs is ballast. You and Kitty take him home—he might suspect me be- cause I’ve been threatening him with so many things that he won't ride with me any more. You get out the old flivver in the morning the minute he shows up out doors and throw a sack of beans in the back. Then tell him you’re carrying them to some place for me, and ask him if he wants to ride. He'll fall—-maybe; but gosh, if he doesn’t put up a fight when he sees his own burg coming over the horizon, I'll eat my hat. He’s sure a home-keeping spirit— I don't think! Watch your step or there'll be one kid missing at dawn.”’ They were all cautious, but even so, Johnny caught a warning from somewhere, and after he and Springtime had got into bed the lad lay with his head off the pillow and his bright eyes fixed on the wanderer. ' Springtime,” he asked, ‘‘ what’s all this hush stuff?” ~ By gosh,” said Springtime, ‘‘ trust you wt3ca t& told him he needr he said you played around son of the guy he wants dark.”’ a Johnny chuckled. — “JT knew there was something uf said, dropped his head to the pillow as was asleep in two winks. % Kitty and Springtime skulked around ne | barn door until they saw Johnny come ot ‘ on the lawn. Then Springtime slammed the doors back and Kitty backed the little machine out with the exhaust wide open. Johnny drifted over toward the drive and stood watching while Springtime heaved a cack of beans into the tonneau and then put his foot on the running board. Kitty, with the true touch of the artist, started, and then stopped, and leaning out, said: “ Oh, Johnny, do you want to come along?” “ Where you going?” “ Out in the country. Long drive.” “ Sure!’? said Johnny, and vaulted the fence and jumped into the rear seat with the beans. “Come around in front,” suggested Springtime, “ there’s room for three, and we'll keep each other warm. It’s a nippy morning.” Johnny clambered over and took a place between Springtime and Kitty. As they rolled out of the alley they saw Osborne standing on a corner, and the hand that he raised gave a signal of congratulation. Kitty sailed past him for the reason that she felt their greatest safety was in keeping up such a speed that the boy would not dare to leap out. It was a cold fall morn- ing, so early that there was very little traf- fic on the road. The rush of wind whipped the color into Kitty’s cheeks and fanned Johnny’s high spirits to a point where he was almost a public nuisance. He hailed every foot passenger with, “ Hey, bindle stiff!” and he had a greeting for every horse and cow that hung its head out of the frosted pastures. a The white road rolled under them a s=books.com (elo)