Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 50: what you’re looking at

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

did not join their revels. A vulsion of feeling swept over her as w Jim Harper’s personal and treasured gings menaced by the fiery destroyer. er all, Harper had done various deeds of iness for her: he was only doing his duty Alone, she dashed into the office before the flames, which had been kindled at the back of the structure, reached it. She grabbed one end of his cot and dragged it “Help me!” she cried to her followers. “We've got to save his stuff.” | “T° hell with his stuff!” shouted some One in reply. “ Let ’er burn.” She was going back into the place alone for more of Harper’s belongings when a heavy hand grasped her shoulder and the big man who had acted as mob leader grinned at her. “ Never mind that, girly,” he said. “ We're all goin’ back to the Lone Star to licker up and celebrate right.” Before she could protest he picked her up as though she were a doll and swung her to a sitting pos- ture on his massive shoulder. “Come on, boys!” he cried. “ Back to the joint! Let’s make a night of it!" Alice was helpless. Her captor called for cheers for her, and these were given with ear-splitting vigor. The gang started singing ““We Won’t Go Home Till Morn- ing,” and set off for the saloon, leaving the fire to burn itself out. IX. i _ To Alice, perched on the shoulder of a man who was intoxicated with both liquor and excitement, the triumphant parade pack to the Lone Star was not the hilarious rent that it was to the others. - wanted to escape from this crazy gut her chance to do so seemed slim. Oo to participate in a bar- tion with drunken men and en. Now that her husband he felt a reaction against ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. At the dance hall, the man who Carried her on his shoulders seemed to sensei desire to quit the riotous assemblage, and he made it his business to guard hee My though she were a prisoner. “ Up to the bar, everybody! ™ out, and pushed Alice there along with the Others. “ What 11 you have, sister?” he asked her. “ Nothing,” said Alice, “] don’t drink.” * Bunk!” he cried. “You can’t come that on this bunch. Wine for the lady!” he shouted, and the bartender set a plass of the sparkling beverage on the counter in front of her. Everybody was looking at her, seemingly in wonder that she was not as enthusiastic in celebrating their victory over law and order as she had been in battling for that victory. She did not wish to antagonize them; she felt that she owed them a great deal, indeed, so, by way of showing her ap- preciation of their efforts on her behalf, she swallowed the wine. ‘Want to set ’em up for the crowd?” the bartender asked her. “Sure she does!” bellowed her giant companion. She paid for the round—a large amount, since the Lone Star was packed now with all-night revelers from other resorts who had heard about the jail delivery. It seemed a sinful waste of money to spend so much for liquor. She would have pre- ferred to reward the men in some other way, but since they were not backward about informing her that this was the re- ward they preferred, she “ set ’em up” a second time, and then a third. Then the dancing started. Alice had no desire to dance, but she quickly found that she was virtually com- pelled to do so. On all sides she was sur- rounded by her celebrating companions. The first grabbed her as though she were one of the painted women, and she pulled away from him, only to pitch into the arms of another member of the gang. This one treated her in a less rowdy manner, and she circled the floor with him, after which he passed her along to a hilarious companion, who danced with her for a while and in comicbooks.com he called