Argosy All-Story Weekly, August 9, 1924 — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

170 —you and Glace, Danny Quinn and my- self.” “Danny,” Bryce repeated while his jaw appeared to sag. “Danny,” said Semi-Dual; ‘“‘ since one who listens with understanding may gain much wisdom from youth. Youth has its ideals, which, being as yet undistorted by the tyranny of objective experience, enable it to speak truth.” “Well,” Jim breathed deeply. ‘“‘Tt’ll be quite a family party. When do we leave?” ‘‘ To-morrow at ten, unless Henri fails of the reservations,” Dual informed him. “‘T shall notify you if there is any change in plans.” ‘Fair enough.” Jim got up. ‘ Dan will have a fit when I tell him we’re goin’ cuttle- fishin’ on the Rio Grande.” ‘“‘ He might well do so.” Semi’s gray eves twinkled slightly. ‘‘ For in view of the fact that the Rio Grande flows nowhere near Nogales, it is evident that in the present instance we shall do our fishing on dry land.” ‘“J] presume we meet at the train,” I suggested, rising. Once more Semi-Dual inclined his head in affirmation. ‘“‘ At the train at ten,” he said. Then we were out of the tower with Bryce venting some of his mingled emotions in characteristic speech: ‘‘ At ten—meet me at the train. Oh, Pip! You’d think it was a picnic instead of an expedition to bust up a dope-running gang, to which we was invited. But I was right, son; 1 was right about Neptune and his fish spear and I was right about that trip.” “Yes you were,” I assented. ‘‘ Let’s go down now and see if Dan’s knowledge of geography is equally as good as yours.” He gave me an almost reproachful glance. ‘Oh, that,” he grumbled. ‘ Say where is the Rio Grande? If it ain’t down there on the Mex border, tell me where in time it 1s?” “Tt forms part of the border, but it turns north through New Mexico,” I told him. ‘‘ Arizona is drained by the Colorado, and the exact spot toward which we’re headed is approximately midway of a pretty long dry stretch between.” ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. ‘Unless you step across the border. If you do that, it’s wet enough from what I understand,” he grinned. CHAPTER III. SEMI-DUAL ASKS QUESTIONS. F the actual trip to Nogales, there is little of actual interest to relate. According to arrangement, Jim and Danny and I met at the station, Danny plainly laboring under an excitement he could not conceal, despite his palpable effort to appear matter of fact. Semi arrived a few minutes before ten, a vastly different person in traveling cap and gray tweeds from the man of the tower in his white and purple robe. For no matter what he might select in the nature of ap- (parel in the seclusion of his quarters, Dual always conformed to the customs of modern man ‘when he moved abroad. Low-cut shoes were upon his feet, gray suede gloves upon his hands. A red-cap followed him with a suit case that had plainly seen ser- vice and he carried a light topcoat over his arm. ‘“‘ Good morning,” he greeted, as he joined us outside the barriers. ‘‘ Henri, having performed his mission in his usual manner, suppose we go aboard.” That’s all there was to it. To-day he was as different in his bearing as in his clothing, absolutely casual in his manner, absolutely up-to-date. But the thing was only on the surface, and as Danny Quinn pressed close to his side while we followed him through the gate, I saw the firm lips of the man smile as he dropped his glance to the lifted eagerness of the boy’s face. Children, women, always received from Dual a measure of tenderness. The one he held as a crucible in which a human soul was making, the other as the very fount of life itself, and an injury to either never failed to excite his righteous wrath in their defense. Casual, too, might best describe the jour- ney from first to last, save that I noted that as the train sped westward, Dual contrived at intervals of his own selection to talk a good deal with Dan. But we had left Chi- LO@OO = A co S (C@)