Argosy All-Story Weekly, 4 February 1922 — page 29: what you’re looking at

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

facé, trembling in the knees, walked with an effort at nonchalance into the office of Tom Andrews, chief of police. “The bull—I mean the officer—said you wanted to see me, chief.” Andrews ran a glowering eye over the somewhat frayed but faultlessly pressed attire of the youth. “ Young man,” the chief’s voice rumbled, “ I’ve got you on my list. We're going to make it blistering hot for the vagrants in this town. What ye going to do about it?”’ Gibbs’s eyes shifted slightly under the baleful stare of the officer. Nevertheless, he managed to smile, weakly but engaging- ly. “You know I’m no vagrant, chief. You know my dad—” Andrews’s heavy fist struck the desk with a bang. ‘“ You betcher life I know your dad. It’s a wonder he don’t wring your neck—him working ten hours a day in the machine shops and supporting you in your laziness. Why don’t you go to work your- self for a change?” “T do work,” Chester Gibbs asserted, running a trembling hand over his well- brushed hair. “ I—” “Work! Don’t hand me that. Cites, GIBBS, dead white in the You lay around day and night in Walker’s pool hall. Call that work?” ‘ v5 j ‘ - t ky basy a Robert Terry Shanon : a i U + y “ Pool—pocket _billiards—that’s a ae recreation with me.” “ Recreation!” boomed the chief. « Ai you do is recreate. How’d you like some — real recreation—on the rock pile, hey?” = Chester’s voice shook. “I got a busi- Ses ness. 3? = “You got a profession—professional ae bum.” = “Im the agent for the Chicago Suit — = Club. You pay fifty cents a week for Zo forty weeks, and when you’re paid up, — along next August, you get a fine Shantung = China silk suit. Besides, we have drawings — every four weeks, and you might win a suit free, even if you'd only paid in a couple of = dollars or so.” A sudden gleam of interest showed in ~ the chief’s eye. At base he was a prudent, economical man; something in the propo- | sition hit him. Perhaps it was the earnest - brevity of Chester Gibbs. Chief Andrews scented a bargain. Momentarily he forgot his stern purpose. az “ Say—maybe that ain’t a bad scheme, er I might need a cool suit next summer. — = = They any good?” = The normal color came back to the = cleanly chiseled face of the boy, The im-— mature enthusiasm of a born n flamed in his gaze. _ Ae) Wi % a i '», Aff Tb; : eS 2 = “ . > . ae os Mn 4a | " G) O 0 i @ ) Fs =a ‘s