Argosy All-Story Weekly, 4 February 1922 — page 73: what you’re looking at

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

instant, was caught in the opened arms of Belle. cited. “Lemme go!” he rumbled. ’im out, Ah will!” ** You'll not,” she commanded. be quiet, Dave!” His arms dropped to his sides. Puzzled, he looked down at the girl like a great, stupid dog who recognizes his master in a little child. “ Ah’ll do ’im in, Belle, if y’ say the word,” he growled, still threatening. “ ’E’ll na tell me ’e’ll na gi’ a domn!” The girl’s voice was soft as falling water: She clung to him, laughing and ex- “* Ah’ll flat “ Now, . “ He’s not worth it, Dave—it was only a fool trick of mine.” Again the girl laughed, conscious of her power, stepping back to the doorway again, leaving Hopewell Da- vies standing sheepishly. William’s face burned deep and ardent red. Then Limpy, foolish and reeling—it had taken all this time to get himself disen- tangled from the crowd—took a none too steady hand in the proceeding. He halted up to the side of the Cornishman, shaking an admonitory finger beneath his nose. “ Wha’ y’ mean,” Limpy accused stut- teringly, “ ga’en awa’ wi’oot yer whusky? We're frien’s here—wah’ y’ wanna whup wee Wullie noo?” A roar of laughter drowned his further stammerings. The excitement was over; there was a concerted:movement toward the bar. William stood where he had stopped, his hands twitching nervously. The bearded man had not moved from his corner. Now he. rose, turned down a page in his book, and carefully put the little volume in his pocket. ‘“ Time!” he called, without further explanation. Some of the miners looked in his direc- tion. One spoke: “ Aw, hell, Hugh, we got fifteen minutes yet.” “Time!” said Silent Hugh again, inex- orably. Miners and smeltermen began drifting toward the door. Belle Shannon had dis- appeared. Through the shadowed doorway where she had stood a dim light gleamed from the rear of the establishment. Paus- ing with the last glass filled, the Logg wiped his wet hands on a stained apron. ~ William, backed against the battered piano by the wall, watched the exit of the | miners with smoldering eyes. He had been made to feel ridiculous and ashamed; — more than that, he had been made to feel. the sting of vulgar humor by a barroom — clown. But how long that chance-hit n “wee Wully ”"—which would become mere | Willy bye-and-bye—would remain his pe- — culiar personal possession he did not know, | Nor would that knowledge have helped to. * soothe his feelings. ae —~ Ma Presently William followed the miners — from the room. Most of them had gone — talking and laughing loudly “ up the hill.” . Silent Hugh McGregor, conscious of his responsibility, hurrying the last of the re- — luctant gang into the street, was almost — alone in being left behind. The chill.of evening on the Great Plateau was already descending on the mountain-— side, On the hill, about the smelter and the mine, a hundred arc lights winked like — huge white fireflies against the dusk; now and then shining, white-hot floods of molten | | slag leaped from the dark summit of the — dumps, fell down the black slopes in silver flame that cooled, descending, to an angry, lurid red until augmented by new lava tor- rents from above. = With each new display, hurrying pygmy figures could be seen poised on the brink — of the precipice, gnomes who labored about _ tiny trains of cars that hastened backward — and forward between the slag cusps and — the furnaces. The night breeze was cool on William's: = fevered face, the poison of the cheap whis- — ky still busy in his brain, On the rickety board sidewalk he paused for a moment, uncertain what to do. Across the street — the flutter of a woman’s skirt passing before : the lighted windows of a store at : his attention. = He caught a glimpse of fine-spun, gleam- ing hair, a golden aureole as the yellow light shone through. He crossed the street hastily, and quite steadily. Margaret Ames, hurrying homeward to a + delayed supper, heninted 3 as oe step a aN |