Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 12, 1927 — page 45: what you’re looking at

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

THE MEANEST For a time no sound could be heard save the crackle of the logs, the subdued gossip of Jake and Jennie from the kitchen, the purring of the great cat, and the squeaking of William’s rocker. Then Ernest cleared his throat vigorously. ‘You aiming to spend a day or so with us?” he asked. Before the visitor could reply, Ellen spoke up. “I should hope, after an ab- sence of thirty years, that Willie would do better by us than that! I aim to have him winter here, if he’ll agree.” Her brother stretched comfortably and yawned. ‘““T sort of feel I’m gonna like it here,” he agreed. “Seems good to get home again, arter years at sea. Nothing like the old home port, hey, Ernie?” Ernest frowned. “ You’re a sailorman, then?” “Nope. Mate on a five-master was my last ticket. Been all over the world and back agin.” ‘“Why didn’t you ever write Ellen, in all these years?” ‘“ He’s explained that,’ Mrs. Sproul in- terrupted gently. ‘‘ He did write a number of times, but his letters went astray. And he never was much of a hand to cor- respond. So time flew by faster than what he realized.” . “ What took you to come here so sud- den?” persisted Ernest. ‘Why, I dunno as it were sudden, Er- nie! Happens 1 been round t’other side of the world, in the South Seas, carryin’ copra, and pearl divin’, and such like. I got a chance to fill in as first mate of a tramp that was headed Boston way, and the notion took me to make Ellen a visit. I figured her out as a lone woman, an old maid; didn’t know nothing about her good luck in catching you, Ernie.” “And when does your ship sail away again?” “My ship? I got no regular berth. That tramp I come up on, she’s already cleared. I jest shipped for the run to Boston. No hurry about looking up an- other voyage. I can stay on here a spell well as not.” eee news | did Bot. seem t to Lae paces Sx = Sem . = 4 ease act es Res ts = a - ar < oe i = =i a yee a a _ eg ae, a <= a) ss a ; - = or Sung a" <. ag ——- =~ LS> ——— =>, se = MAN. any. “ You don’t aim to live off your sister while you’re ashore, do you?” ‘Why not?” countered George. do, don’t you?” Sproul flushed angrily. “No sech a thing! We’re man and wife. What belongs to one belongs to t’other.” George puffed for a moment on his pipe. ‘Well, they say round here that Ellen pays the taxes and everything. Which is all right, because the farm belongs to her— to her and me,” he qualified. “Ho! So that’s how the land lies? You come home to claim your share, after stay- in’ away thirty years and leavin’ her to bear all the expenses!” “Of course Willie shares equally with ” Ellen spoke up. “‘ Father always in- tended it so, if he ever came home. The will was made that way.” ‘“ Besides which,” the seafaring brother added, “fur as money goes, I got plenty of that salted away. Nuggets of gold and pearls and emeralds and rubies, and plain money. Where I been, down in the South Pacific, there’s riches lyin’ about waiting to be picked up. The natives don’t care for nothing but plenty to eat and a sunny spot by the water, and a roof to cover ’em in the rainy season.” Sproul rose abruptly. He glanced at the clock, and, taking his watch from its pocket, began winding it. “ You “We turn in early here,” he said. ‘“ Early to bed, and early to rise. It is my custom to read a chapter from Holy Writ each night before retiring.” He crossed over to where, on a small table, reposed a very large and ornate Bible. Opening it at random, and turning the gilt-edged leaves back and forth, he finally decided upon a chapter from the Lamentations of Jeremiah, adjusted a pair of spectacles on his nose, and seated -him- self beside the kerosene lamp. During the reading the hired man came in from the kitchen with Jennie. Ellen laid aside her mending, and George took his pipe from his mouth and closed his eyes. Sproul read in a hollow, sepulchral tone of voice, fitting to the complaints of the much harassed Jeremiah. At the cone: : i¥ os - on” ox bi ee if * Lean, A a ar ' ;? “renee \ en OAS wees ib TS ee rahe a AS! 7 * pe aha ak ! LOP IP aats ; ii iA 4. 4a TAA swe MPa x, vA i} Voey wey My ‘ <v ise Ve sts Sd a a ee ~— a pee = Booke com