Argosy All-Story Weekly, October 6, 1923 — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

808 ‘“‘T suppose you happen to know of the old Golden Cloud gaming house? And who doesn’t know of it in the county or the his- tory of the State.” “Tt’s where my father worked and got enough money to buy a ranch,” Hallie re- plied readily. “I ought to know something about it.” ‘“ Exactly. Well, your dad wouldn’t rec- ognize the place now, I'll tell you that! I understand a hot dog vender bought it— or else won it in a poker game—and thought he’d make a restaurant out of it. But the place kept filling up with sand and the owner found it paid better to sell his hot dogs in a chow cart where there aren’t so many window panes required. ‘““ Now here’s the idea: that place was the life of the town a generation ago, and the life of the place itself was your dad. You get my point? Have you a sense of the dramatic—of the elements of tragedy, retri- bution, triumph and all the other forces which this town—thanks to the damnable reformer, Noah Doxey—has forgotten?”’ “ You’re using pretty big words, mister,” the girl replied. “ All right. Ill explain: The old gam- bling den was the center of the glory that was Arizona and the grandeur that was Yuma County! Some people who are want- ing in the poetic sense of values, which I might say is one of my peculiar hobbies— such people might have termed the Golden Cloud gambling house a den of iniquity, gun shooting and crime.” ‘“‘ Not if my dad worked there—” “ Thank God for your vision, little lady. You have already grasped the meaning that words cannot make clear. Suffice it to say, that I visualize the old den up on Slag Street as a palace of fortune, of combat, yes, glorious man-to-man combat, of the shouting of oaths, of the drinking of strong drink, of the staking of gold mines—and of lives! It was, in fact, a place of supreme glory! Am [I right?” ‘“* ‘You are!” “Good! Well, that’s what it’s going to be again. You are going to come back— wearing the mantle of your father—Dan Crockett!” ‘You mean—” ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. ‘“T’m going to open up the old Golden Cloud and employ you as the chief attrac- tion.” “But look here, mister, if you want to start a den with gun shooting and all that, you're on the wrong track. You're out of your head! I’ve seen a bit of gun shoot- ing and know enough to hide when Indians who’ve been getting religious over ‘ mad apple ’ start knifing each other. ‘ Besides, you can’t have liquor in this town, they tell me. And what’s left? Gambling? My ma says the deck of cards is what kept us from becoming cattle kings!” “You have caught the spirit of my idea!” Hayden exclaimed. ‘‘ And I might say your imagination has carried you far beyond what I had at first pictured! I believe, since you insist, gun shooting might be dis- pensed with—and liquor as well—provided we find it absolutely necessary to do with- out it. Ginger ale has its effects when the spirit is willing! ‘“And concerning the card deck, there are, as the saying goes, games—and games! Instead of calling a spade a spade we might call it something else; for instance, monte and ombre can be replaced by solo and poker, or if the county authorities are too pressing—by pool and billiards. The actual game, understand me, is, if I speak plainly, neither here nor there.” The girl could not admit conscientiously that he was speaking plainly. But she did understand in an indefinite sort of way that this well dressed business man was talking of matters of far-sighted civic improvement. If her father had worked at the Golden Cloud, it was a good enough background for her. ‘““T want to see the place again,” she said. “ The last time my ma brought me up to this town I was a little freckled kid in pigtails.” ‘Step into my car,” Mr. Hayden said ceremoniously. On the outskirts of the town was a huge structure of warped lumber, bleached to light gray by sun, wind and sand. That part of the roof which in the usual manner of the old-time dance halls and saloons ex- tended over the sidewalk, had caved in, and EO OO AMUC (©