Argosy All-Story Weekly, May 3, 1924 — page 142: what you’re looking at

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

932 Wilder. I—I hope you'll call and let mother thank you. It’s really her kitten.” With eyes only for Belle Crawford, ears tuned only to her delightful voice, heart that was all hers, Barney walked with her to the apartment house. There they parted with his promise to call that evening. Bar- ney turned away into the cold, sharp breeze. ‘“ Holy smoke!” he gasped. “ My overcoat!” Barney ran back to the corner. No- body remained of the little group that had watched his daring act so recently. He visited. the small shops of the neighborhood. Nobody had left an overcoat to be identi- fied by a kitten rescuer. Barney found a dashing young policeman and consulted him and he, too, searched in vain. It dawned on Barney Wilder that his coat was stolen. At the same instant he realized that, judging by all present indications, he would get one of his dearest wishes. Winter was coming. In fact, winter had arrived. Il. BARNEY was calling on Belle Crawford and her mother in their two room and kitch- enette flat in the Hudson Arms. This was three weeks after the rescue of the kitten, and Barney had called so often that he was on the footing of an old friend of the family. “T found the job I was looking for,” Barney beamed at Belle. ‘Oh, Barney, that’s great! lations—”’ “Wait a minute! I don’t mean I’ve got it yet. I mean I ran across the very kind of job I want and can hold. And I think I stand a chance to get it. You see, about a week ago I read an ad wanting a man for executive work, ‘one who has enough backbone to handle men,’ it said. The ad- vertiser asked applicants to write. I wrote him and, look, to-day I get this note. It’s from Watkins, the president of the Germless Ice Company—”’ “Gracious, Barney, they sell half of the ice used in New York!” ‘IT know it. And, listen, he says: ‘I would be pleased to have Mr. Wilder call at my office at nine o’clock Friday morning, Std a this week, for a personal interview. Congratu- ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. Belle’s high spirits were somewhat dashed. Barney observed it. “I know, most of ’em answer like that,” he said, ‘“‘ but somehow I feel different about this chance. It’s the kind of work I want. Executive work, like McKee’s got. A job handling men, a job that needs some backbone. I can do that—”’ “Of course you can!” Barney’s happiness clouded. “If I just had my swell benny back,” he sighed. “ This looking like a bum sort of gets my goat!” “ Barney, you poor boy! overcoat—”’ “I don’t mind the cold,” Barney ex- plained. “It’s all right, if you walk fast. But there’s always a lot of cake eaters after these jobs that look like they’d just stepped out of a musical show—” * Poor Barney!” “Sometimes I wish I hadn’t given my other coat to the Salvation Army last. spring,” Barney sighed. “ Still, the cuffs were worn shiny and the moths ate a couple holes in it. Maybe it would just knock my chances if I did wear it—” Belle patted his hand in sisterly encour- agement. “ You stay with it, Barney!” “Yea!” Barney agreed, smiling again. “ While the money lasts I’ll stay with it and I’ve got enough to pay my rent and board for another week. While I’ve got that, no cheap job for me, coat or no coat. Unless, of course, Belle, you think I’m taking too big a risk—”’ “Remember Steve Brodie, Barney.” “Yea, bo!” Belle sat tracing patterns on her dress, eyes downcast. Barney sat bolt upright, struggling mentally. Barney wanted to say something and lacked the courage to say it. Barney’s courage was beginning to stag- ger under repeated blows. The loss of his job had been the first jolt. The loss of his expensive coat had been another. The worst blow of all was the effect of repeated failure in the search for employment, failure that he began to attribute to his lack of the big, prosperous overcoat. Outwardly Barney was still presentable. It was his soul that was wearing shabby, and a shabby soul makes a shabby man. Without an COMIGD OO! S CO) nn