Argosy All-Story Weekly, June 13, 1925 — page 150: what you’re looking at

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

622 heart. jerry Phillips was cuming up over the week-end so that he might go round the course a rew times. That old pirate. How he’d gloat over a withdrawal. And just when he was going well with the mashie, too. “Quit right away?” asked Mr. Mon- frent, wishing to know the worst. ‘“ This minute,” his son assured him. Mr. Monfrent resumed his agitated pacing until he reached a decision. Then he stopped abruptly. ‘Tf you quit golf, Vl disinherit you,” he announced sternly. “‘ Cut you off without a cent.” “Fair enough,” the son assented, bland- ly, and left the office. Observing Arthur’s hurried exit, Mr. Monfrent’s secretary decided the best thing for her was to contract a sick headache at once. Ill. “Don’t worry, my dear boy. Your father will come around,” Mrs. Gerhard comfortingly assured Arthur. ‘ He’s the sort of man who resents change of any sort. He wants everything as it always has been.” She smiled encouragingly. ‘‘ How- ever, when the change has been made, it becomes a settled matter with him. He’d oppose any attempt to change it back again.” Arthur shook his head at this. | ‘He seemed pretty hard hit,” he com- mented dubiously. ‘“ He’s all wrapped up in winning the Father and Son, but if we do win this one, he’ll be all wrapped up in the next. He'll keep me going until the caddy has to wheel him around the links in an invalid’s chair.” ‘fT hesitate to offer such seemingly treacherous advice,” said Mrs. Gerhard, “but it is my opinion it is best for you to raise one big crisis now, and have every- thing settled——-everything. It will be easier for your father.” ‘“‘T suppose so,” Arthur assented, rising. ‘“Dad’s hard to handle,” he added. ‘Mother died when I was a tot, and he’s had everything his own way since. Do him good to have a woman boss him around some.” “Tt might,” smiled Mrs. Gerhard, fol- ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. lowing Arthur to the door. And when he had gone, she mused again, “ It might.” The diminishing whir of Arthur’s road- ster had scarcely droned around the next corner when Mr. Monfrent’s limousine drew up before Mrs. Gerhard’s home. ‘“ Providential for me you were called back to Fairfield” said Mr. Monfrent after the formalities of greeting were concluded and he was seated in the spacious living room. ‘“‘ Need a woman’s advice, and you're the only sensible woman J know.”’ “My trustees,” murmured the lady, re- ferring to his opening statement about her recall, ‘“'That business finished?” “ Almost.” “Hum!” Mr. Monfrent shifted himself into a more comfortable position in his chair. ‘“‘ Wanted to consult you about Arthur,” he said. “Has he been getting into trouble?” “No! Of course not. Worse; much worse.” ‘* Dear, oh, dear,” commented Mrs. Ger- hard non-committally. “Wants to quit golf.” ‘“Ghastly” breathed Mrs. Gerhard sym- pathetically. ‘“ Why?” ‘ That fool idea of his that he wants to go to work.” ‘““Wouldn’t it perhaps be easier for you to yield a trifle?” the lady advised. ‘“ Put him to work in your own office. You could arrange all the time he needs for golf.” This suggestion impressed Mr. Monfrent. ‘““ Good hunch,” he commended. ‘ TVll do it. You xnow, Mrs. Gerhard,” he added, rising, “‘ the boy is stubborn. His mother died when he was quite young and he’s had his own way pretty much ever since. He’s missed being bossed about some by a woman.” ““T suppose,” the conciliator agreed, and after Mr. Monfrent was gone she mused again, “ I suppose.” Next morning, at breakfast, Mr. Mon- frent announced to Arthur that he would put him to work in his own office. “ ‘What am I going to do?” asked the son. ‘* Nothing, I hope,” said Mr. Monfrent fervently, his mind leaping ahead to after- noons of practice in preparation for the ap- proaching tournament. CcoOmiclooks CO@ im