Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 124, No. 3 — page 135: what you’re looking at

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

BING, BANG, BOOM! He turned and left her abruptly, strid- ing away up the street to disappear a mo- ment later into the Turner building. Nourished by the destruction of his cher- ished plans for the Majestic, by his false arrest and imprisonment, by Amos’s story - of Turner’s cowardly “ frame-up ” against him, his rage was Mke a living, clawing thing inside of him. Before he had spoken with Ruth, he had been striving to keep his temper in -check, to act coolly and with judgment. But now, as he ran up the steps to Tur- ner’s office, he was possessed of but one idea’ He was going to do to Turner what Turner had planned to have done to him: he was going to give: Ellis Turner the thrashing of his life! ‘ Without knocking, he threw back the door of Turner’s office, and stepped inside. A glance told him that the office was empty. As he retraced his steps to the stairway, doubtful where to seek his enemy, he met a man who was employed in the bank that occupied the ground floor of the building. © - ‘“‘ Have you any idea where I might find Mr. Turner?” Bert asked him. “ He’s out on. Prospect Hill,” the man replied. “Him an’ some _ surveyors. They’re goin’ to break ground fer the -power-house this mornin’. “ Thanks,” said Bert; and a moment later he was down the steps and running back to the Palace Hotel, in front of which he had left his horse and buggy. ' ~~ Ruth was still standing on the other side of the street where he had left her; but Bert did not seem to see her as he climbed into his buggy and drove hurriedly in the direction of the Majestic Hotel. Ruth watched him until he disappeared up the street. Instinctively, she realized what were Bert’s intentions. She knew that Bert had entered the Turner Building to seek Turner, and that, not finding him. he was going to where he could be found— on Prospect Hill. Not questioning the why or wherefore of her actions, she walked to where her own horse and buggy were standing and climbed to the seat. ‘‘ He—he’s mad!” she murmured as she do anything!”’ 509 drove away toward the city hall where her father had his office. ‘“‘ He—he’s liable to CHAPTER XX. TURNER MAKES SOME PLANS. HE source of a rumor .is difficult to determine, its course as rapid as that of flames on oil-sdaked batting. With the. sudden quashing of the indictment against Bert and his liberation from jail; with the inexplicable resignation of Noah Spigot as prosecuting attorney of Grant County and his immediate departure from Selma for parts unknown, Selma found “ample food for conversation and specula- tion; and it was not long before the whis- pered phrase, “ crooked elections,” found its way into these conversations and specu- lations; and, simultaneously, Ellis Turner -began to be looked upon askance. Of course the good people of Selma knew nothing definite. Whoever had let loose the suggestion that implied “ crooked elec- tions ” and linked to it the name of Ellis Turner was evidently a keen student of psychology; for its very vagueness added to its potency, and what was not known was easily imagined, giving to it an added charm of personal deduction. It was fed, too, morsel by morsel, from the plentiful cornucopia of its unknown sponser; and, with this wholesome nourish- ment, it grew with the rapidity of a mag- ‘got. Within a very few hours people began to wonder about matters to which they had not, previously, given a second thought. They wondered why certain names had been irregularly-entered upon the poll-book at’ the last election; and why Turner had been seen At the dance in the company of | a rogue like Paprika; and why the latter had met such a tragic fate at the hands of Turner. They wondered and wondered, and narrowed their eyes and nodded their heads sagely while they were so occupied, as they whose perception begins to pierce a misty veil, disclosing that which lies be- hind it. And certain gentlemen of the board of selectmen, shifting uncomfortably GORGE OOO UN S Colin