Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 78: what you’re looking at

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

“Yes, Daly, we come to the point!” For the benefit of his friend and partner, J. K. Blevitt gave his imaginary ax a preliminary, imaginary flourish. He interrupted Simms Daly, who was about to go on. ‘“ We come to the point! Admirably put. And the point is, I see that you have discovered what I knew for a long time, Daly. You’ve found out you are worth far more money than the J. K. Blevitt company pays for your services,” The goat-getter nodded brightly, » “ And, as I understand it, Daly, you are here now to inquire just what I am going to do about remedying this condition. In other words, you think you are entitled to a very substantial increase in pay?” “Yes, Blevitt, but—” Blevitt did not heed the interruption. *‘ And you are just about te inquire what I am going to do about it? Now wait, Daly—” Blevitt held up his hand to pre- vent interruption. His suavity had been getting more sugared with every word. Jf. K. Blevitt was coming to his point, and his point was meant to be a crusher—noth- ing short of one neat, devastating chop of his imaginary ax that would drop the offi- cially figurative head of Simms Daly into the basket, leaving on the face a look of deeply pained bewilderment ‘“ Now, Daly, I am going to tell you exactly what I am going to do about this request of yours for bigger salary, and—”’ ‘Hold on! Hold on, Blevitt! got me wrong, old man.” “ Ah, no, Daly, I’m sure I haven’t got you wrong.” No, you THE Lvs ARGOSY-ALLSTFORY WEEKLY. U _ “But you have, Blevitt. I’m not asking you to raise my pay.” “You are not what?” Blevitt roared. Rudolph Reed’s lower jaw obscured his necktie, so far open was his mouth. “No!” Daly cried. “ Of course not! I wouldn’t ask you to raise me, Blevitt! Why, I know as well as you do, old man, that the J. K. Blevitt Company can’t af- ford to pay me what I’m worth. I know that! That’s why I just dropped in here to tell you I am quitting the first of the year.” “You are—quitting?” Blevitt murmured feebly. ‘‘ Pardon me, Daly, I’m getting a little deaf. Did you say—” “ Blevitt, I’m sorry. I’m really sorry!” Simms Daly cried contritely. ‘ But can’t you see, I owe it to myself? I’ve got to get all that I’m worth, everybody agrees on that, so I just got a half dozen fellows with capital to back me, and I am starting a box business of my own, beginning on Jan- uary 1. That’s what I wanted te tell you.” Simms Daly rose, leaned across the desk and seized the limp hand of J. K. Blevitt, pumping it heartily He then snatched the limper hand of Rudolph Reed and pumped that. And as a final assurance that all was sweetness and light between them, he~ clapped J. K. Blevitt heartily on the shoul- der and cried: “ No hard feelings, eh? No? That’s fine! Merry Christmas, Blevitt!” Simms Daly vented his empty, jackass laugh and strode out of J. K. Blevitt’s of- fice, humming in his resonant barytone, on good terms with all the world, and best of all, on good terms with himself, END le} THE CUP OF LIFE | LIFTED up my Cup of Life, And begged of Wealth to fill it: He smiled, and said: “Oh, foolish hope; I never will fulfill it!” I lifted up my Cup of Life, And begged of Fame to fill it: He scornful smiled, and said; “ Vain child, I do not choose to will it!” T lifted up my Cup of Life, And begged of Love to fill it: And now it brims so overfull, I cannot heip but spill it. eomicbooksae com