Argosy and Railroad Man's Magazine, Vol. 107 No. 3 — page 179: what you’re looking at

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

SHE WAS TIRED OF BEING CREMATED. 521 hold. ‘“ Go easy, Brady. Go easy, please!”’ he implored. Bughouse Brady smiled and Hig sought the open air. _Monday and Tuesday, Miss Humphrey and the nut comedian were as thick as mo- lasses, and hourly Balboa Hig’s heart beat more faintly. But what could he do about ite Even had he not incubated the plan, they inevitably would have met. He had sized Caroline up all wrong. She actually seemed fond of that ass with the beefy body! Hig was in despair. Wednesday afternoon Miss Humphrey came upon him in the Asterpole lounging- room. “Take a walk, Mr. Higgins?” she purringly inquired. Balboa grabbed for the straw and nearly swallowed it in his excitement. ‘I haven’t seen you much lately, Car’line,” he la- mented. “You'll see less after a few days,” she said affectionately. He frowned questioningly. | ‘“‘ Brady and I have about decided to do a double again,” she explained languidly. Of course I’ll not leave you without no- tice. Ill stay with the act through next week.” It came like a bombshell. ‘ But, Car’- line! You can’t—you mustn’t think of do- ing that! I—I’ll—” “ Mustn’t, eh?” Her laugh was almost profane. “Tl cut out the cremation—I’ll see the management—I’!] do anything—yjust so you stay with me! You’d grow tired of him soon, and then you’d wish you hadn't left—” ‘““ Hig, you make me sick!”’ “But have you really decided definitely to—"" “TI told you we had about decided.” “Then there is hope! I’ll see Maxwell to-day. I'll find another illusion—without a trap-door!. Then you'll stay with me?” “T'll promise you nothing, Hig. But it would be mighty nice, next week, if you got something different. Suit yourself, though. Don’t let me influence you.” That very day, quoth Maxwell, a high official of the Calcium Circuit: “ Sure thing, Higgins! We don’t give a hang what you use, just so you put over the usual hit. Go - to it! Your personality ought to see you © by with most anything.” The conjurer made a trip to San Fran- cisco after the matinee. After the evening show he sought Miss Humphrey. ‘“ Saw Myers. You know—the fellow who repairs magical apparatus, out on Golden Gate Avenue. He had a peach of a Noah’s Ark on hand. I got it for seventy-five dollars. It "Il be delivered at the Calcium stage -to- morrow morning.” If she was particularly interested she didn’t show it. ‘All right,” she said. ‘“ Better than the cremation, anyway.” ‘““A lot better,” he agreed. “ Car’line, on the level, don’t you realize you’ve come to mean a great deal to me? I’ve not harped much on the subject, but haven’t you read it in my eyes? Honest, I’m jeal—”’ | ‘“* Hig, you talk like a child! I’m going now. I have an appointment with Mr. Brady.” ‘But you'll come to the Calcium to- morrow morning at eleven for rehearsal?”’ “Sure. Ill be there. So-long.” Higgins spent a miserable night. Next morning she accompanied him to the theater. The Noah’s Ark apparatus had arrived, as also had a third individual. ‘“‘ What on earth is Brady hanging round the stage door for at this hour?” Hig whis- pered to his companion. ‘* He’s come to watch our rehearsal, Hig. What did you suppose?”’ And she looked queerly at him. ‘“‘ But it would be much better if we re- hearsed alone! We don’t want every Tom, Dick, and Harry to learn the secrets of our act.” “Secrets? Hig, do you know how old Noah’s Ark is? Why, they say Grant tum- bled to the mystery the first time he saw it, a boy in his teens.” " Balboa flushed. “ It is old, I know, Car’- line. But it won’t seem to be so after we get through with it. You know my talent for imbuing a chestnut with up-to-dateness and life. For instance, the animals we'll use won’t be of the old stock description. We'll add variety—produce a dozen differ- ent kinds of birds and beasts.” COMICEDOO© ie) S (C(O) mM