Argosy All-Story Weekly, June 13, 1925 — page 142: what you’re looking at

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

614 ‘‘T like the heat,” Norry affirmed, lean- ing against the counter. “ It’s the wind up- sets me!” A tiny frown crossed the cashier’s brow. He straightened his lean shoulders like one about to bat a ball, the check flattened out before him on the counter. “Sixty thousand dollars!” he gasped. “Jerusalem! You’ve been selling some pearls to Mr. Foo, if I may say it!”’ ‘““'There’s no harm in saying it,” Norry told him steadily. ‘“ There might be, though,” he added as an afterthought, “ if I’d been selling him flatirons or water liles, Mr. Gibbs! But just now I happen to be in the pearl business, and I assume that Ty Foo is in a position to buy up to a mil- lion pounds’ worth when the fit takes him.” There was a snap in Norry’s voice, a sub- tle challenge that brought the cashier round with a wan smirk on his nerve-ridden face. “Tt’s a large amount, Mr. Denham!”’ he stated sweetly. ‘To be quite frank, it’s more than I have in bills or cash at the moment!” “ How long will it take you to get the cash?” Norry inquired without haste. * I’m mailing a deposit on a seventy-ton schooner I’ve bought at Surabaya!” “Yl get it in an hour, Mr. Denham! Sorry to make you wait. Perhaps——”’ “Tl call in an hour,” Norry interrupted from the entrance. ‘“ Dollars or sterling; I’m not particular.” Norry strolled back to the pier, out of sight of the cashier’s pursuing glances. He wiped his hot face and stared across the bay in the direction of Nadir Point. Ty Foo’s schooner was a mile away, on the heels of the outstraddling lugger fleets. He felt certain that Gibbs would not at- tempt to communicate with the Chinese pearl buyer. The check had been passed for payment. In an hour the money would be ready for collection. If there had ex- isted a shadow of suspicion in the cashier’s mind concerning the check, he would have referred it at once to the Chinaman! Norry breathed like a boxer emerging from the first round in a stiff encounter. The next round would be easier, he told himself, unless Gibbs got drunk or the bank’s messenger fell down with the money. ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. Phew! How hot it was! Norry turned again to the lugger fleets across the bay. The tide had swung the Plum Moon stern on to the shore. To his horror he observed a boat pull away from the gangway. Seated at the tiller was the familiar outline of the Chinese pearl buyer. Norry realized instantly that Ty Foo was coming ashore. It was almost certain that he would go into the bank, and at the very moment Gibbs was busy arranging to pay out the sixty thousand dollars! Denham sat like a frozen image as the boat with the Chinaman on board reached the steps at the end of the pier. IV. AN almost childish desire to run away took hold of Norry as Ty Foo clambered from the boat and came swiftly along the pier. For one dizzy instant the fear of the stone jail at Shark Island beat through Den- ham’s young mind, as the eyes of the bright faced Chinaman settled on him. ‘“ Ah, my dear Norry!”’ he called out, his whalelike girth heaving after his climb up the steps. ‘I am going to a friend’s house to eat. I had almost forgotten the appoint- ment. ‘Then I have some business at the bank! There is always a rush for money at this time of the year, eh?” Norry’s face was wet with the terror that drains men white. He forced himself into a smiling attitude, scarce daring to speak. He felt that the sound of his voice would betray him. He glanced at his watch to cover his mental torment. Then he scanned the fierce yellow streaks breaking across the northern sky. “More heat, Mr. Foo!” he predicted at random. “I’m expecting to meet my sail- maker, Evans,” he blurted out, scarce know- ing what to say. ‘ Lost most of my canvas last month!” Ty Foo gestured cheerily. His face was wreathed in smiles as he passed down the pier. At the Parade he turned almost sharply in the direction of the bank, as though urged by an overwhelming impulse to see Gibbs. At the last moment he seemed to change his mind, and passed on to the lower part of the town. cComicbook C©