Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 115: what you’re looking at

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

WITHOUT Said. “ Guess I kin make out yourn, too, can't I, son?” he asked. “ I guess you don’t want to keep on workin’ fer no such outfit as this, do youe”’ For just an instant Leonard hesitated. Then he cleared his throat harshly. “No, I ain’t quittin’,’ he answered. *““ Cap, here, he looks like a square guy to me. Even if he ain’t, it ain’t none of my business. I’m workin’ fer him, not fer this here MacAlister guy, an’ when he throws me a chanst to make a little easy money, I’d be a fool to pass it up. You're a fool to pass it up, too. What the hell do you care about any one else, so you git yours? I know what side of my bread the butter’s on. I'll jest stick by Mr. Blodgett!” The lumberman was on his feet, his voice shaking with rage as he pointed a trembling finger at Neely. “You're discharged—fired! Do you hear? You will leave this camp on the train in the morning.” Neely folded the check, placed it in his pocket, and rising from his chair, proceeded to stow his personal effects in his turkey. “The hell I will!” he answered. ‘ You an’ your hired liars will be on that train, an’ i’m a little particular who I ride with. Looks like you’ve got things pretty much yer own way, Blodgett, an’ with the money you’ve got, an’ the witnesses you’ve bought, you'll prob’ly be able to steal MacAlister’s timber. But it ain’t goin” to be so easy as you figgered, Blodgett, ’cause, come ten o’clock Tuesday mornin’ I’ll be right = to the Capitol, an’ so will MacAlister, an’— He paused, and turned his eyes full upon Leonard. _“‘ An’ so will MacAlister’s gal.” A note of bitter scorn tinged his words as Leonard’s eyes fell before his gaze. “ An’ as fer you, greener, as long as there’s lum- bermen like Blodgett, they'll be jobs fer you. You're smarter than Sam King. They’d ort to pay you well.” And swinging his turkey to his back he opened the door and stepped out into the night. In the office Blodgett turned abruptly to Leonard. ‘ You are foreman of this camp, in the place of Neely, who was discharged for incompetence. He didn’t quit, he was discharged.” GLOVES. “Sure he was. I heard you fire him, But, hell, cap, you better git some one else fer boss. I can’t run no camp, not yet. They’s a-hell of a jot I ain’t hep to.” Blodgett resedted himself, and motioned Leonard to a chair. “ Listen to me,” he be- gan sharply. “I want the testimony of a camp foreman. A logging foreman’s word carries weight in matters pertaining to tim- ber operations. You will be the accredited foreman of Number Eight until after the hearing. After that you will return to the camp in your former capacity.” | “T make you, all right. But, say, cap, when do I get my mitts on that extry jack?” ** What?” “Why, you said somethin’ about doublin’ the wages. When do you figure to come acrost 2” “ Ah, you refer to the—er—added com- pensation for making the-arduous journey to St. Paul?” ““ Er—yes, that would be it. When do you figure on—er—slippin’ me the roll?” “You shall be paid in cash by an agent, upon conclusion of your fet nODY. Zs “ That’s all right, cap, but s’pose we just _ go fifty-fifty on the purse.” “ What do you mean?” “Why, how about passin’ over half the jack before the testimony?” Blodgett’s eyes narrowed. “Do you mean to intimate that you do not trust me to fulfill my obligations?” “No, no, cap, you get me wrong. — I’d trust you—like a policeman. But this here agent guy. S’pose that there roll would stick to him. Where’d I be at?” A thin smile played at the corners of Blodgett’s lips, and without a word he slipped a wallet from an inside pocket and counted out some bills, which Leonard re- counted, and thrust into his own pocket. “And now,” continued the lumberman, “is there anything about this matter that you do not understand? Of course King will offer his testimony first, and you will be guided largely by that, but have you the es- sential facts in mind?” Leonard nodded. “ Yes, I guess I’ve got the whole thing pretty well doped out.” 2a Suppose you just go over the sanent features.” 585_ CO Eomichook