Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 105: what you’re looking at

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

OUT OF THE WORLD FOR A WHILE. “All right,” Seagrave said. ‘I'll take you up. I'll give you my note, but I have nothing to secure it now. I will have in some shape or other after a while, though.” “Oh, never mind your note,’’ Holmes said. They had come to the block in which Holmes’s office was located. “ All right, then,” Seagrave — said. “ There’s nothing doing. Il go into the Seagrave foundry and work out the idea there. If my paper isn’t good with you, we can’t do business.”’ “T’ll take your note,’ Holmes said promptly. “I’m continually trying to un- dermine you through a mistaken spirit of helpfulness. I'll cut that out. Everything will be on a strictly business basis between us from now on.” “That’s the way the game is being played,” Seagrave said. ‘‘ Even sex doesn’t” make any difference. Ruth, except in one direction, is proving herself an excellent business man.” They had come up to Holmes’s office now and they went inside. Seagrave drew up and signed a note, payable in ninety days, and gave it to Holmes. “ You think Allison is going to sell Ruth some of his rubber stock?” Holmes asked. ‘‘ Miller has an engagement with her this morning,” Seagrave said. 3 “Well, Miller won’t get away with it,” Holmes said. ‘“ We haven’t exactly got the goods on Miller yet, but if he sells stock ‘ to Ruth I think we will have. Allison had been trying to sell stock to her for a long time. I think he’s getting ready to blow. Miller will make representations to Ruth that will give us a chance to detain Allison till we can get him on a charge of using the mails to defraud. All we need just now is something to hold him on.” “Tf Ruth should pay Miller a good- sized sum of money this morning she wouldn’t get it back, would she?” Seagrave asked. “T don’t think Allison has ever let go of a penny that has come his way,” Holmes re- plied. “ But I’m not interfering in Ruth’s case.” He stopped for a moment, flushing, and drumming on the top of his desk. 731 “Damn it, Seagrave,” he went on. “I wouldn’t care if Ruth did lose some money on Allison. I’m just old-fashioned enough to think that she has no business running that foundry. I'll admit she’s making a success of it just now. The danger is that she will get too sure of herself. The fact that Allison can hoodwink her shows that she has no place in the business world. If ever there was a raw swindler, it’s Allison, but from the very first he has been success- ful with Ruth. Of course she has been slow, due to a purely feminine caution, but Miller is going to sell her that stock this morning and it isn’t worth a cent. How- ever, the transaction will teach her a lesson and it will eliminate one more crook from the business world.” Seagrave took out a cigar and fingered it absently. Then*he looked at Holmes. “And I,” he said, “am going down to Ruth’s office and kick Miller out of there. I’m not going to let a cheap crook like him hold her up.” Holmes grinned. “All right,” he said. what I expected.” “Do you mean,” Seagrave asked, “ that you had to tip me off to this to get action out of me?” ‘You didn’t seem to be doing anything about it,” Holmes apologized. ““ Didn’t I?” Seagrave asked. ‘ You’re off on that, old friend. I have been on the job all along. I met Miller last night and told him where he alighted.” “Well, I turn the case over to you,” Holmes said, “ and I’m glad to do it. You can steer a straighter course than I could. [ll confess Mrs. Seagrave’s business career hasn’t made any hit with me. Go to it!” Seagrave left the office and went down to the foundry. He went into the outer office where the clerks were working. One of them, a middle-aged man whom Seagrave knew, came up to him with a question in his, eyes. “ Hello, Blair,” Seagrave said. “ I’d like to see Mrs. Seagrave if she isn’t too busy.” “She said she wouldn’t see any one till | a man named Miller had come and gone,” Blair said. ‘“ Maybe she didn’t expect you. Shall I ask?” | “That’s about Gomichbooks.co