Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 38: what you’re looking at

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

‘ ind; wel get another,” he said se; then to the crowd: ont go away. Business as usual in a 9 . interrogated the porter and specta- 3 Sharply, but no proof that the toppling typewriter on the floor was other leased the fellow. _ He crossed the street to the Lone Star and accosted the proprietor. __ ™ Sherrard,” he said, ‘ yon’ve got a type- writer that you're not using at present. I’d _ like to borrow it for Miss Juno.” The dance hall man sneered. “ That’s nerve for you,” he said. “ That cursed girl has ruined my business for the night. A lot of those idiots who fell for her mush are sending money away that would be spent here. And yet when she meets with an accident you want me to assist in my Own ruin by loaning her my typewriter.” Harper bored Sherrard with eves that were like points of steel. “Right away, please!” The words cracked like a whiplash. “I'll return it to- morrow.” Sherrard consented then, and the sheriff carried the borrowed typewriter across to the new office, where Alice Juno was writ- ing Meanwhile with a pen. He stated that he would be around next day to repair her broken machine. IIT. WiTH a few simple tools, Harper per- formed his task the following morning, then sat down for a chat with the most interest- _ img young woman he had ever met. Alice Juno was very charming on this on. Success in her business venture 1ased some of the wistful sadness from 25, but she was still a bit more sober rious than any woman in her early "Ex ow, I'm still puzzled about told her. “I don’t know ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY, i‘ : Sem sis Eoaas a ¥ In the first place,” Harper went on, “I cannot bring myself to believe that you are here simply to make money.” “T like to think that I will bring a bit of happiness into this sad world also.” *Yes—but there is more to you than that. You made a lot of money last night and vou created a lot of happiness, but still you are troubled and unhappy. I think, Miss Juno, that you are here for some mys- terious reason that you are unwilling to disclose.”’ Alice rose and gazed out of her open door, then turned and replied: “You seem concerned. Why?” “I am afraid that something will happen to you. You are too pretty a woman to be alone in a place like Geyser.” “I can take care of myself.” Harper had also risen. * My dear Miss Juno,” he said very earn- estly, “ up on the hillside back of this town there is a bleak and desolate patch of ground, with little mounds lying side by side, and at the head of each mound there is a plain piece of board penciled with the name of a person who thought he was capable of tak- ing care of himself. Already you have made a vicious and powerful enemy here. I cannot prove that Dan Sherrard was back of the accident to your typewriter last night, but—” He stopped, surprised by the girl’s quick change of expression. Seeing that he no- ticed her emotion, she turned quickly away, then faced Harper again with the best imi- tation of a smile that she could muster. “That graveyard—it must be interesting —I'd rather like to see it,” she said with pseudo nonchalance. “Of ceurse. Why not go up with me now? You'll not get much business this morning.”’ ée I will.”’ She locked her office and they sauntered to the foot of a sun-baked butte where. in- side a fenced inclosure, six or seven ugly mounds of raw earth uplifted themselves. The girl proceeded directly to the board at the head of the first one and read the fast- fading name that had been rudely penciled comicbooks.com