Argosy All-Story Weekly, October 25, 1924 — page 69: what you’re looking at

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

THE DANCING DOLL. 59 own. Her eyes were staring, her mouth drawn with anguish. ‘No, no, no!” she cried. ‘‘ No, I can’t let you kiss me that way! I don’t love you that way! I can’t!” Slowly George let his arms fall from her, It was as if he had been stunned with a blow. If she had not yielded for that one instant, then he could have borne it. But to have her surrender like that and then force him away as if he were a stranger! That was humiliating! It was more than he could stand! Gian’ Bori and his wife looked at this scene in open-mouthed astonishment. Such a bride they had never heard of! These English! George looked about in a dazed fashion, saw his cap on a chair, and picked it up. “It’s all right, Margot,” he managed to say. “ I’m going.” “ Going! Oh, no! mean that!” ‘You meant it all right.”’ His voice was husky, but not with anger. ‘‘ You can’t help it. You don’t love me—and you did not pretend to. It’s better for me to go.” ‘Where are you going?” He turned at the door and replied: “ Back to the café!’’ With a twisted smile he added: “ Got to tend to business. The place can’t run itself.” “No, don’t go back to La Scala to- night!” “Why not?” ‘““ Valdez may be there!” “IT hope to God he is,” said George quietly, but his eyes had a wicked gleam and his fists suddenly clenched hard as hammers. The doer closed behind him. I’m sorry. I didn’t CHAPTER XIV. TINA’S IMPULSE. LUNGING through the dark street, P smarting with Margot’s rebuff, George had gone only a short distance when he heard some one running behind him and turned quickly. It was Gian’ Bori, who, as he overtook the young man, drew one hand through his arm, and panted: “ Not so fast! If Val- dez is still there, he can wait. If not, there is plenty of time!”’ ‘““T want to get back, Gian’. That gang may have wrecked the place while I was gone, or they may have acted rough with Tina.” At this Gian’ Bori laughed. “It is far more likely that Tina acted rough with them. I’d trust that girl to protect herself against those thugs. She’s a regular animal tamer!” ‘“ You said something!’ admitted George. He remembered how Tina had helped to pull him out of one tight place after an- other, and he added, half to himself: “There never was a pal like Tina!” “You may need this, George,” said Bori, and slipped a small automatic into his partner’s hand. “ Stick that into your pocket where you can get it quick.” “Lucky I didn’t have a gat an hour ago. There would be one coffee-colored politician shot full of holes!” “ For God’s sake, don’t use it, my boy, unless you’ve got to!” cautioned the older man. ‘‘ Sometimes it is better to think fast than to shoot fast.” They had reached the brightly lighted streets by now, and George kept a lookout for Valdez’s friends, political or otherwise. As they passed sidewalk cafés, the drink- ers looked up and many of them recognized the pair. A buzz of comment followed them down the street. Heads flew together, fin- gers were pointed. It was evident that the news of the fight had flashed from café to café, but if any one felt hostile he did not show it. One or two raised their glasses in friendly greeting. 7 “Keep cool, George! Here are two of Valdez’s men right now!” Bori whispered as a couple of policemen approached them. Bori saw that they were observed, and pressed George’s arm. ‘““ Now, don’t get excited,” he said. “ If they have a warrant and everything is regular, don’t resist arrest. If they have no warrant, we'll try to talk them out of it some way or buy them off. But for God’s sake, don’t pull your gun on a policeman. That would be your finish.” ‘Don’t worry,” answered George in a COmicloooks (C@