Avon Fantasy Reader No. 7 — page 119: what you’re looking at

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

PTHE GUN : oS i 115 And at last“he drew blood. The man behind him gasped ‘hoarsely and his breathing came heavily. “Fifty dollars,” he roared. ae Parker turned and received such a look of malevolence that he winced and remained silent. : : The auctioneer glanced at him and began to do his stuff. “Fifty dollars I am offered for this rare objet d’art; fifty dollars—” ae Parker could not help himself; the sport was too deeply ingrained in him. He knew that the man behind him was determined to possess the dragoon pistol at all costs and it was not sporting to let him have it so easily. He would value it the more if he paid decent price for it, if he got it only after a stiff fight. | | Parker said: “Fifty-one dollars!” . poe a Be The effect of this bid was startling. The man behind Parker leaped to his feet and uttered a cry of rage. “Damn you,” he roared. “I haven't got any more _ money with me. Take the gun—take it and be sorry!” ae And with that he stamped down the aisle, out of the auction rooms. “—Going,” said the auctioneer. “Going for fifty-one dollars.” To the lucky gentleman with the celluloid collar, . John Parker recoiled. He was the lucky bidder. It so happened that this was - the sixteenth of the month and only the day before he had received his semi- ~ monthly salary—fifty-five dollars. It was all in his pocket, as he had missed his landlady the night before and had not yet paid his room rent. But he didn’t want the gun; he couldn’t afford it if he did have a use for it. If he spent fifty-one dollars now he would be unable to pay his room rent. He would have nothing left for his meals during the next two weeks. He would— “Here you. are, sir,” said the auctioneer, “You won after a mighty fine struggle and I congratulate you. Fifty-one dollars—” : John Parker stumbled forward and took the huge dragoon pistol. It was almost a foot long and weighed ten pounds or more. He shuddered and drew the money from his pocket. | | : | Then he turned and walked out of the auction rooms. At the door he collided with a woman about to enter. She saw the object in his hand and squealed. : : | Parker sneered. at her and stepped aside without an apology. He thrust the _ big weapon under his coat, pressing his left arm against it to hold it secure. ) He walked several blocks up Dearborn before he-realized that he was going in the wrong direction and cut west to LaSalle, where he turned south. As he crossed Monroe he noted by a clock in a store window, that it was two minutes GCOmicbooksseom