Argosy All-Story Weekly, July 11, 1925 — page 132: what you’re looking at

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

286 remembered Jim. He’d have to let Jim know. He walked down to his restaurant and as he ate supper, Jim sat opposite him talking. “Zeb, old head,” he said when he heard the news. . “She’s a fine and dandy girl, but at—” Zeb held up his hand. ‘“ Now, cut out the salve, Jim. I know what you’re going to say, but if I was twice as good a man, I wouldn’t be half good enough for her.” He changed the subject. ‘ How’s things going, Jim?” “Oh, fine. I’ve made more money this month than I’ve ever made before when I was firing.” There was a touch of regret in Jim’s voice. “What’s eating your” Zeb questioned. “You’ve got a good place here. You’re making money. What you _ grouching about?” ‘Well, Dll tell you, Zeb. Your talk of marrying has set me thinking. Here I am, no one much to care about me—” ‘Except me,” Zeb broke in. “Veh, I'll take that back,” Jim replied. *'You’ve stuck. You’ve been my friend, as good a friend as man ever had. Yet, Zeb, there’s something\Jacking, and that’s @ woman.” “ Sidewheeler?” Zeb questioned dubi- ously “Oh, Sidewheeler’s all right, but I’d “ never marry her and, Zeb, she wants to marry. Now Jake, the caller, is crazy about her. He’d marry her in a minute, and she’d play square with him, too. I feel pretty small at times because I know if I’d just quit jollying her along, she’d be Mrs. Jake in a month.” Zeb looked at Jim steadily for a long time before speaking. ‘ Jim, don’t let any _ quixotic notions of sticking to Sidewheeler be a bar to either her or your happiness. If Jake wants her, let her go. There’s other women, better women, who’d be proud of you. For instance.” Neither spoke for a brief space. Zeb puckered up his lips and whistled a bar of “ Annie Laurie. ” Jim shot a quick glance at him, an ex- pression of surprise on his face. “ Why, << _ Zeb, that woman’s a queen. She’s too damn ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY, fine for such a drinking, fighting mess as I am.” “Oh, I don’t know,” was Zeb’s answer. “You don’t have to drink nor fight, Jim, unless you want to.” “ You’re right, old scout, I don’t have to. iL ought to cut out that rough stuff, but I’ve been at it a long time till it’s got to be a habit.” It was on the point of Zeb’s tongue to say: “Why don’t you cut it out? Make something of yourself, Jim. There’s a future for you,” when he stopped himself; He had never tried to reform Jim. He felt it was beyond him, and a second later he was glad he had not started a temperance lecture. The door opened and an engineer came in, glanced at Zeb, winked his eye at Jim and nodded his head in an almost imperceptible little twist toward the rear room. “Excuse me,” and Jim jumped up to follow the other back towards the kitchen, When he returned in a couple of minutes his breath was heavy with the scent of corn whisky. Zeb stayed but a short time and went out. There was doubt and heavy un- certainty in his heart about Jim. The temptation for drinking was always before him, and Jim Brown, good fellow that he was, could not refuse that temptation. -As he closed the door behind him he glanced back to see Jim in the center of a knot of men, laughing and talking, little knowing the worry that Zeb was having over him. He walked a few steps, stopped, his forehead wrinkled in studious furrows. Then he quickened his pace. He had made wp his mind to see Side wheeler, to try and induce her to stay away from Jim. It may have been the reaction of his own very recent experience, it may have been thé desire for his friend to know the warm glow of pleasure that thrilled him when he thought of the woman he loved, but whatever the motive, he wanted Jim to have a woman to care for him. Not Side- wheeler, though. Jim must have a better woman and must part from Sidewheeler for good. He’d work it somehow. He’d buy her off. He’d offer her so much — she’d leave and never return. : Zeb little realized that when a woman = See eS 5 ax os a ~ ee = » - — r t=