Argosy All-Story Weekly, May 17, 1924 — page 28: what you’re looking at

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

178 who pretended to believe nothing except that he was a crook and a thief, went to the office of Sheriff Flournoy. Verdell, after a conversation lasting over an hour, asked to be deputized and given the task of finding the robber known as the Swamp Cat. The sheriff consented, and Manse left Tickfall that night. “It’s bad to be conscious of increasing age, Manse,” Flournoy said, as he told him good-by. “I would love to go with you, but my old heart would not stand the strain. Bring the Cat’s hide back with you!” eneeentaieeeiement CHAPTER IX. “__GOT A LAUGH OUTA ME.” ISS LOIS ROONE was like a billiard ball—when it strikes a cushion, it caroms off. Her hatred and contempt for Manse Verdell was the hard cushion upon which she struck. She had a perfect disgust for the failure of her plans to elope and blamed beyond the measure of his deserts the young man who had not done his part to make the elopement a success. It had hurt her pride that she had had to confess to her father that.she had planned to run away with the son of the man he hated, and now she had promised him that she would never have anything else to do with a Verdell. She meant it, too. But what was she to.do with her girlish dreams of love? Manse Verdell had been the center of all her imaginations for a long time. Now she was oppressed with the sense of emptiness and somebody had to fill the empty place in her heart and mind. She moped around the house all the morn- ing, stirring the fires of hatred for the man that a few hours before she was willing to vow to love and cherish forever. The telephone rang. She jumped nervous- ly, and then took down the receiver, and answered. When she heard the voice of Manse, her fiery eyes emitted sparks of malignant dislike. “May I come up to see you, Lois?” Manse asked pleadingly. “No,” Lois snapped. see you again.” * TI never want to ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY, “T think I could explain some things if { had a chance,” Manse pleaded. : “Don’t want to hear any explanations. Explain to the police,” Lois replied. “Don’t be cruel, Lois,” Manse begged. “Give me the opportunity to represent my case.”’ ‘Hush, Manse,” Lois said in a sharp tone. “ Now listen to me: I never want to see you again. Don’t ever speak to me again, please! You go your way, and may your evil conscience be your guide. I want never to see you again—never!”’ “Never?” Manse asked in pitiful tones. ‘“ Never!” Lois snapped, and hung up the receiver. After that she felt better, and she began at once to dress to go out. She did not know where to go, but she decided that a jong ride on her favorite horse would be a good thing for her nerves. A few minutes later, she was galloping out of the lawn and down the street toward the main por- tion of Tickfall. She arrived just in time to find the peace- ful calm of the little town again shattered by a great disturbance caused by Dago, the monkey. He began the fun by snapping the chain which bound him in the yard of Hastie Melhaven, to whom he belonged, and he started down the street looking for adventures. Mrs. Sentelle, wife of the town clergy- man, had given a lawn party for children at her home the night before, and the lawn , was still strewn with wires overhead to which many electric bulbs were attached. Dago saw this arrangement and climbed to the wires. He began to unscrew the bulbs and toss them to the ground, where they made quite an explosive sound as they burst. Mrs. Sentelle leaned out of the window and uttered some piercing screams, which promptly brought the neighbors. Dago. liked the audience, but when he saw that his act was not making a hit with them, he unscrewed a few more bulbs and hurled them. at the indignant onlookers. Then the onlookers picked up rocks and other missiles and “ chucked” back, and there were so many against him that the little monkey refugeed to the roof. CoOnmicloool< (C@