Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 43: what you’re looking at

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

yah BOP ee ‘4 sa Delaney, they were welcomed in her sanc- tuary. Jake was a short, stout, bald-headed and very greasy looking person. Delaney, the pianist, was tall, red-headed and had protruding teeth. ‘“What’s the big idea, Millie?” “You got ‘ Sweetheart Annie?’ ” ‘Say, old girl, my option on that ex- pired yesterday. I think Dillingham’s go- ing to do it.” “Oh, my God.” ‘“Can the hysterics. I brought another just as good.” ‘“‘What’s the name of it.” ‘“T dunno. What’s its name, Bill?” _,** Queen o’ my. Heart.’” “It’s a good title,’’ nodded Jake, “Is it any good?” “ How do I know. I ain’t read it. Good as any of them, It was on top of the pile.” _“ The score ain’t so bad,” said Bill looked it over in the taxicab.” -“You poor fish,” hissed Miss Duroy. ‘* Here I find a man with twenty thousand dollars to put on a show, and you ain’t even got a show.”’ “Who ain't got a show?” demanded Rubenstein indignantly. “If he’s got twen- ty thousand we’ve got a show.”’ “ But ‘ Sweetheart Annie’ had a big part for me.” “So has this. A corker.” “How do you_ know; read it.” “ Millie, I don’t have to read them. What’s a musical show, anyway? A bum plot, a lot of vaudeville acts, a flock of janes and all the gold and silver scenery you've got cash enough to pervide. If this sucker has the coin, the title rdle’s yours.” ‘“ But suppose he doesn’t like it?” “You read it to him and make him like it.” * And the music?” “Leave that to Bill. This guy is going to hear the best tunes from all the popular successes. Bill knows how to fix ’em up. And while Bill’s playin’ you'll be holdin’ his hand and i’ll be looking out the win- ae | you haven’t dow.” “T’m not so sure that'll work. This fel- low isn’t so terrible crazy about me.” NOTHING BUT MONEY. ‘Then how did you get him to put up the jack?” ae mee vale. “T think he wants to do it for an in- vestment.” « “An investment! Oh, Lord!” ‘““ Holy Moses!” Both Bill and Jake went into hysterics about this, but Millie held up a warning hand. ‘‘ Look out. He'll hear you. Now go out and come in the sitting reom door.” : Meanwhile Harry Hilwin had been idly looking out of the window That morning he had redeemed his bag of money from the railroad package room; boldly rented a good-sized safety deposit box at one of the =, banks where he had opened an account ~ and placed his greenbacks at last in a place of absolute security. He had withheld enough to double his balance in the two banks, and he still carried in his clothes an amount which would justify any yegg in murdering him. 3 When Jake and Bill had been introduced to him by Millie, he dispensed with their program in a manner which flabbergasted them. ‘‘T understand you gentlemen own a mu- sical comedy and will sell me a half inter- est for twenty thousand dollars,” ‘You bet,” declared Jake. ‘‘ And after you have heard it you’re going to say it’s the best show of its kind you ever listened to.” | “You are a producer, Mr. Rubenstein?” ‘Yep. I’ve produced some of the great- - est things Broadway ever saw! Remember ‘ The Lady in Velvet ’?” <4 No.” “Well, that one didn’t run very long, but it was a great show. ‘“‘ Remember ‘ The Merry Widow ’?” “Did you produce that?” ‘‘ Surest thing you know. Of course, Say- age got the credit, but I did the work.” “And this gentleman is the composer?” ‘Well, no. This gentleman is the mu- sical director of all my enterprises.” Millie almost strangled trying to keep from laugh- ing, while Bill, himself, accepted his hon- ors ‘with an air of mild surprise. | “ Bill, tickle the piano, and let the gent hear some of the tunes ichhow iS Eom