Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 7, 1925 — page 63: what you’re looking at

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

WHERE SHE BELON GS. verge of bursting inte an unjustified tirade _ which he must have regretted, Josephine cleft the stillness a the upper aE. =< = new scale. So Samuel Harkton turned away, his teeth erinding, and returned to the dining” room. and thrust his hands into his pock- ets and glared at the oil study of a pineapple and three baz done by @ maiden aunt whose su psec equent — decease: had somehow rendered its removal _ vaguely indelicate and lacking in res] though not baistertiusly- In all probability Josephine was ‘right. He did seem to be making rather an ass" of himself, although excuses were not far to seek. This of course, was the had discovered three or four more new ele- ments—he would become accustomed to the idea. Indeed, the time might even arrive WEED Samuel, glancing up from his morning paper, would say: ‘‘ Well, well, my dear! — So you have discovered still another ele- ment, eh? Well, that’s splendid!” with per- fect sincerity and good feeling all around. Only even as yet, in this initial instance, he still knew himself to be greatly shaken and—_ Great Scott!- Was that clock right? Samuel crashed back to his nor- mal morning: he had not only missed his regular train to the city, but if he meant to catch the one after that he’d have to do a mighty smart bit of walking. - much calmer, mulch ‘more himself; when he reached the station he was. even smiling in his own complacent way. So Chivers went down on this train, did — he? And March and Ludbridge? Chivers hurried forward with hand outstretched. “Well, by golly, Sam!” he cried. certainly congratulate you!” — 7 “Me?” said Samuel easily ‘enough. “Well, I should say so—on having a wife like ‘that! = | ae too prominent Z irst time that ‘Samuel’s little wife had ever -discov- : _ ered an element, and it had come as a con-_ _ siderable shock. Later on—when, say, she — Very” briefly indeed Samuel considered bidding farewell to his sister-in-law; he dispensed : with this decent bit of ‘courtesy and — slammed the door of his home behind him; then he walked, and as he walked he grew = Oh, -yest™ smiled Samuel, = You- don’t look a bit puffed up about it, either,” Chivers Sees ay, = he dropped the hand. | “Tm not,’ ” Samuel man ized ees, with entire truth. Se : = ‘here the conversation ailed ane Chiv- ers rejoined _ his neighbor, and Samuel- walked apart. Just why he should be con- scious of this distinctly ruffled feeling he 3 could not say; doubtless it was because spect. he hac And then, be it said, Samuel did laugh, al z ad always detested Chivers. He kept on. walking, to the» ery end of the form; and here steod a little once) of Montvale dwellers with whont he was not acquainted. - But they seemed to — Samuel. They echet oddly, as he approached, and they stared, carefully looking away as he eyed them. Samuel presented his back for their inspection and turned his paper to the finan- cial section; and behind him there was a very famt whispering, and he caught: “Yes, that’s maa That's Dr. Harkton’s husband. eS Samuel sconvied suddenly. ‘That was the pretty sentiment that Chivers had not voiced in so many words, wasn’t it? That, perchance, was the first thought that came — _ to anybody, when looking upon himself this Samuel Harkton, the head of Harkton, -Harkton’s husband. Not Inc., but just Dr. Harkton’s husband. 2 All roe then! What of it? Samuel smoothed out his scowl and gave thanks _ for the. sppectais train, even as 4 little shudder ran down his spine. They were beginning to whisper again back there. Never partial to travel i in the malodorous smoker, he made straight for that car this morning and took the very last seat, spread- ~ ing his paper widely before him and so re-. tiring from the world. He wished to think, keenly, dispassionately, effectively, as had _ so long been his wont; and there was some- thing mightily reassuring about the realiza- tion that he had actually been able to _ plunge into the task, even before the wheels began to turn. Primarily, then, is had saffered a sort _of domestic shell- chooks from which he was now recovering. Primarily—not to mince matters at all—his” Sng little ego had <i} a Eomichoo (6)