Argosy All-Story Weekly, 4 February 1922 — page 35: what you’re looking at

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

ty J RIOR Y J —_— 7 ae? 7 ba) ¥ 4 vd , a fy, ’ ‘iu e? o . ; : _ them all! would garb him like a king! . ~ ee, a - ee - x=. = < Ses ie ALWAYS A GENTLEMAN, - \ | “Mr. Tally, you'll never know how bad I needed this money! It means more to me than it would to anybody else on earth—” Tally motioned him to a chair. “ Sit down. I listened to you. You listen to me. I’m wise in the ways of the world. You’re young—green—raw! You don’t know what it’s all about.” Chester flared. “ You’re a big man and a smart man and I just made you like one of my ideas—right out of my own head. I can do it with other people, too!” The traction man shook his head. “ I’m the only person on earth that ’d give you a cent for that idea. There’s every chance in the world that it’s not practical. You just made a thousand dollars on a fluke—a pecu- liar combination of circumstances. It won’t repeat. “ “T think you’ve <r stuff, but you haven’t proved it to me and, more important, you haven’t proved it to yourself. You’re not seasoned. Prove yourself to yourself first. Don’t expect others to take you on faith. “Tt takes time, kid, and work to get your balance; to be able to guide and con- trol the stuff that may be in you. I’m just going to butt in on you a bit and show you the way. The publisher of the Chicago Daily Sun is an associate of mine. I'll give you a note and he’ll put you on. They'll knock you into shape in a year or two over there. After that you come and see me. Maybe I'll give you a job.” Only a part of Chester’s attention was involved in his consideration of the oppor- tunity. ‘“ How much will they pay me?” “At the most, thirty a week. That’s more than most cubs get. In six months. you ought ‘to be earning forty.” ‘Spreading out the rumpled check the youngster looked at it avidly. The thrill, the magic of quick and easy money ran up and down his spine like a vastly stimulat- ing current. Tally’s words lingered mean- inglessly in his ears. Mentally, Chester Gibbs was spending a thousand dollars. His tongue passed over’ dry lips. He would go back home and show Two hundred and fifty dollars Elation. diz- The flivver—a coupé for his _* >» 7 - ~~ >t, 2,8 fal 2 >= - mother! The shotgun would come coats pawn. Chief Andrews—he’d smoke a aig cent cigar from the respected hand of Ches- = ter Gibbs. Not the prodigal. The con- querer! ee “Where’d you say I could cash this?” he asked again, his eyes ro bright. a Tally shrugged his shoulders and walked to the door. “You can get the money downstairs. So-long.” = In a daze Chester handed the check to” ~ = the cashier. The voice behind the wicket — asked him how he’d have it. ee “In fifties—and some twenties.” es 3 The currency bulked in a fat, conspicuous lump in his trouser-pocket; to touch it with Se his fingers gave him an Uridresnieieet “eS — gering sense of power, me “Who’s the best tailor in town?” he - Bergson Brothers.” “=e =: = Chester turned away with the un : = step of a drunken man; started for the re a volving door. A voice, somehow familiar, — yet belonging to an alien past, called his name. He felt a hand on his sleeve, and Pa turned. a “‘ Maybelle!” eae Her eyes were red, swollen. The fingers — = = on his arm sank desperately into the flesh. Despite the cheap finery of her attire he se had never seen her so haggard. > = “Come over here, Chester—I’ve got to = talk to you!” There was terror, pain, in - her speech. ‘“ It must be fate that I jus happened to run across you here in the _ ae oe ne ee ae ati —_ ~~ or ~ull . Me -— 4 ~~ hotel. I’ve had you on my mind, Chester— a I’ve had you on my mind!” ae _He led her to a deep divan behind artif- “You're the only person in the whales ys - world I can turn to. I’m half crazy. It’s —it’s about Harold. Yesterday we eloped. and got married.” A thin pang tore for an instant in hile breast. “You got married?” he ae — stupidly. : “ He’s upstairs now in our room. He’s_ all broke up. He confessed to me shia e morning. They'll probably arrest us both. = He—he took a thousand dollars from bc bank. And you said wes T ever need & = - - we. ee. “Saree - < - a el” _— te ex NX i iS | | ~ . ie mat nes —~ — a / 4 : J ? é es ny 5 AY Tr.) =>