Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 23, 1924 — page 105: what you’re looking at

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

EIGHT MONKEYS Tom Jervis didn’t say anything to this; but, although he kept on fooling with the dogs, there was something in the expression of his face that made me think it likely that he would select the side of the Atlantic that he preferred. “It certainly was understood,” Harlowe remonstrated, “that you were going to [Europe to represent us, and we offered you a share of the profits of our little syndicate.” ‘“ T know you made the proposition to me,” Tom admitted; ‘ but I never really accepted it. In fact I said it was a ridicu- lous salary for nothing at all. I feel that it would be mere charity and an imposition on you fellows.” ‘“ But my dear Jervis,” I said, “if you stay here, people are sure to recognize you and it won’t be long before everything is found out.”’ “Why shouldn’t I stay here, in the country?” demanded Tom, ‘“‘ Here!” exclaimed Ben Gleason, viewing with alarm the prospect of a permanent guest of his size and justifiable appetite. ‘Give me a job here,” Tom suggested. “ There must be an awful lot to do around the place. An out-door life is my long suit. I know all about horses and dogs and gardening. No one can spot me here and I can earn my board and keep. I’m not going to Europe and I’m not going to grait on you fellows; so that’s settled.” We all tried to change his mind by argu- ments good, bad, and indifferent; but Tom’s insensibility to Iogic, persuasion, and plead- ings, proved that his square jaw was no mere ornament, but was bestowed upon him for good and sufficient reasons. His last word was that if he was not allowed to stay at Gleason’s place as handy man, he would go to New York and look for work, taking the first thing that offered. It was obvious that he could not appear in New York without wrecking the Seumas Shayne corporation and sending its stock down to zero. If he got a job as a ticket- chopper or a soda fountain clerk, he would be spotted as the original of the photo- graphs in the Bulletin article. It was a sure thing bet that the very next day after his appearance in public, the newspapers would have articles about the famous novel- AND A CATSPAW. 263 ist and playwright seeking new experiences to get material, It was evident that the only way to get along with Tom Jervis was to let him do as he liked; so the conference ended in every- body’s seeing no harm in his staying at Ben Gleason’s. He was to make himself generally useful for his beard and twenty- inve dollars a week, Ben reserving the right to terminate the arrangement at any time by giving a week’s notice to his associates. Ben’s place seemed a pretty safe refuge, if Tom, did not make himself conspicuous in the neighborhood, and this he promised. CHAPTER XVI. TOM JERVIS ACTS. LL the way back to town « worried about what I should say to Nell Teller. As Fom declined to go to Europe, I would have to invent some rea- son for his disappearance. Nell was clever, and her suspicious nature indicated that whoever married her would either be a good husband or one certain to be found out. I knew it would be impossible te fool her in this affair for any great length of time; but this difficulty was solved by Nell herself in an unsuspected way and one which, for me, had its unpleasant features. She had a great aunt, or something of the sort, living in California, and this ancient dame, having a sudden attack of relativity, wrote to Nell to come and make her a visit. The old lady was wealthy, but, knowing Nell as well as I do now, I am positive that there was no mercenary motive in her prompt acceptance of the invitation. She would have gone even more readily if the aunt in question had been a public charge. Nell was that kind of a niece. It certainly was a relief to know that for a while at least, I would be free from cross- examination about Seumas; but this immun- ity was purchased at considerable expense in the way of missing her cheery voice and sunny smiles at the office. After her departure, the old man made me general manager of a first class murder mystery and I was so busy working on this Gomichbooks = — 4 = i *e 3 ‘ .. —— => % ~—*