Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 7, 1925 — page 169: what you’re looking at

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

t AAA AA oY: “-¢ ay) - ei See Ape? of 8) So* Ta saree Al i, 7h _ shoe went sailing off, then the other. -fell from hRS ry ® > ed Fehey. Y wy eee vs) {ay i “ any; . ENCHANTMEN ae -“ George!” Patricia shrieked. All the McGurls stared, rising hastily. All about people stared with: them. “The big bum!” McGurl choked, his face red with anger. ‘‘ Gone and jumped the job. Ill show him something—” Regardless of clutching hands Al Mc- Gurl climbed the rope Darcie: and went into the ring as George, emerging from some- where under the seats, trotted leisurely across the open toward the center stage. Al McGurl, following with shouts of ven-— geance, was hurled back by an alert ring hand and bade to go sit down. Then all Milledge began to “George!” It was a roar of derision, with catcalls and shouts of laughter. But George, stand- ing alone on the center stage, spotlighted in his greasy overalls, merely smiled pro- fessionally, bowed, and seizing his greasy mechanic’s cap, sent it sailing into the tent top. He kicked with infinite grace and a One writhing contortion and the grimed clothes him and were kicked aside. George Kay stood revealed before their as- tonished gaze, a figure of gleaming, rippling muscles in red tights and spangles, at home amid the shining apparatus of a circus strong man. .After a long, roar, painful gasp, Milledge shouted again, and twice as loud, a shout of. applause. George Kay bowed low with hands outspread and began to do his stuff. VI. Art McGurt received a fifty-dollar bill from George with awe. ‘ You didn’t have to be in any sweat about that, honest. Mr. Kay,” he protested anxiously. “ You were always welcome at our house, you know—” “Thanks,” Poors -said ole “T ouess T know how welcome I was with you. [| did the work of a twenty- -five-dollar man for ten—and I’d be working till next Christmas paying off what you think I owe you, if you had your way.” He turned to Dr. Reed, profering an- other bill. You treated me white, doc. Much obliged —” ~ “But why on earth didn’t you tell us?” the doctor exclaimed. “ How long since you remembered this—” & Quite some time,” George admitted. “T kept it dark on account of a particular lady friend of mine.” He grinned at the beaming Patricia. “T was filling in a few weeks with a car- nival outfit that played over in Davenport last fall,” George explained. “I came down sick and they took me to a hospital. I guess my watch and papers are still in the safe, there. But I got the nutty idea the show was pulling out, and they couldn’t go on without my act. I wandered off and tried to follow them, and that’s how I got here.” | “And here we had a famous man in town all winter and never knew it at all!” McGurl gasped. “TJ knew it all the time!” his daughter declared shrilly. ‘TI told you so, too, but nobody ever will listen to me!” George turned on her with a nod of con- firmation. “I guess maybe they’ll listen to you after this! Come on, Patsy, you and me will take a little walk.” George Kay ate supper with the McGurls, an honored guest. He did all the talking, nothing loath to tell them how good he really was, and the many places he had been and the brilliant people he knew. He had to take his leave early for the night show. before the train pulls out,” he promised. “You'll be waiting, Pat?” Patricia nodded shyly. But when George returned to pay his last respects to the McGurls the family was - ~assembled, all but Patricia. dled They could not find her. Shouts and search availed nothing. George had to go, finally. “It’s funny; damn funny, ” he muttered, alone in the night, bag in hand. “TI thought the kid really liked me. I sure did!” He paused —— strolling toward the garage. The frogs were singing and a distane freight engine sent its m iysterious, beckon- ing hoot echoing across the quiet, sleeping countryside. “God!” George shuddered. “What a hole! 2 = 659° “But Vl be back to say good-by | comichbooks.co