Argosy All-Story Weekly, May 3, 1924 — page 167: what you’re looking at

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

A RODEO ROMEO. mornin’ Limited goin’ East at Larabee to- morrow. I'll be at the depot with the out- fit.” III. ALL Larabee wasn’t at the station to see Slim and the rest of Tex Allen’s rodeo out- fit of, but the only part of Larabee Slim was interested in was very much there. About May Markins most of the outfit stood two deep as they waited for the train. She greeted Slim with the indifference which nettles a lover more than insults. She turned a shapely back upon him when he would claim her undivided attention and conversed upon uninteresting topics with others. Her aunt advised the boys what to glimpse in New York. ‘‘Down at the water front,” she said, ‘is hoss cars. Reg’lar dinky cars with a couple of poor lookin’ things draggin’ ’em what they calls hosses. Yuh boys be sure an’ get a squint at them hoss cars, they’s funnier than the cayuses haulin’ ’em. Then there’s the Aquarium, an’ the Flatiron Building, an’ don’t forget Brooklyn Bridge, an’ Central Park an’ the subway an’ the elevated. An’ you want to see the ferry boats. Even got electric lights on ’em.” ‘“ Oh-h-h-h,” sighed May, “I wish I were going. New York must be a fairy- land.” “Why don’t you come?” There was a challenge in Slim’s eyes as he bent forward and gazed boldly at her. ‘ That’s.the fiftieth,” she said, blushing and lowering her eyes. ‘“‘ Monday you told me forty-nine would be the last.” Slim flushed, embarrassed. The train thundered into the station and his discom- fiture was hidden in the hurried prepara- tions for departure. Tex Allen stumbling up train steps with a mountain of baggage was collared by the editor of the Larabee Blade, a little man with steel rimmed spec- tacles. “ Don’t forget, Tex,” he said. “ Send me anything that’s good. I’ll pay the wire tolls an’ be glad to get it. I'll sign yer name to it, too.” “ You betcha,” smiled the cowboy. “ Ride ’em, cowboy,” was May Markins’s parting message as the train pulled out and she waved her Stetson to the group yowling 957 from the observation platform. ‘“ Ride ’em, cowboy.”’ She stood shaking farewells, her aunt be- side her. On the platform stood every member of the outfit excepting Slim. Angered for having ventured a fiftieth pro- posal and also because she had seen fit to refuse him the opportunity for an individual “ good-by,” he had slumped into a chair in the smoking car and allowed the others to yell their farewells. Presently Shorty Allen slid into the seat beside him, craved a light for his home- made cigarette, then astounded the de- jected Slim by announcing with en- thusiasm: ‘““That’s the way to do it.” “Do what?” cried Slim. “ What you just did,” was the reply. ‘‘ Give them a stiff neck lookin’ for you and never be where they’s lookin’. All the time she was wavin’ and smilin’ to every- body I could see her eyes rovin’ all over the mob huntin’ for yuh. Now she'll be wonderin’ all the way home, ‘ Why wasn’t Slim on the platform? He’s always been just where I wanted him to be?’”’ Shorty whinnied like a perfect lady. ‘‘ Now that yuh got her guessin’, keep her guessin’.” Slim grunted. “ First thing yuh do when you hit New York,” advised Shorty, “ is have your pic- ture taken on a postcard showin’ yuh sittin’ in front of six or seven bathin’ gals, all peaches.” * What?” yelled Slim. “Course the gals is a fake,” explained Shorty. ‘‘ Yuh just pose in one of those trick photo galleries in front of a screen. When the picture comes out yuh look like you was on the sand at Coney Island with these gals crowdin’ to grab yuh. Mail her that and just write, ‘ Havin’ a wonderful time.’ ” “ Like hell I will,” said the horrified Slim. “ Foolish,” drawled Shorty laconically. “IT never knew that one to fail to get ’em. They’s generally telegraphing yuh to come home five minutes after the postman leaves the card.” “TI just couldn’t do it,” murmured Slim, mopping his brow. ‘“ I’m much obliged for COMIC OO! (©