Argosy All-Story Weekly, 4 February 1922 — page 75: what you’re looking at

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

THE NIGHT SHIFT. Gregor about the room. The rude furni- ture, such as there was—a table, chairs, a bunk, and various shelves and boxes— had been constructed with no more elab- orate tools than saw and hammer. A small camp-stove spraddied in one corner, Above the table were two shelves filled with well- worn books. There was an air of neatness about the place—Hugh McGregor was a careful man. Noting that William was at last awake, Hugh placed his own breakfast on the ta- ble, then paused with the coffee-pot still in his hand. “ Coffee?” he asked, the pause an invi- tation. “ No,” William replied shortly. Then, thinking he had been somewhat abrupt: “I feel pretty seedy—morning after, and all that, y’ know.” Hugh offered no comment, but ate his breakfast in silence, a book propped up against the coffee-pot. Presently William gained courage to throw off the blanket and sit up in bed. Curiosity began to grow, “Where am I, and how did I get here, if-you don’t mind?” “My cabin—brought you,” replied Si- lcnt Hugh, shuffling dishes into a waiting pan. “Weil,” said William, regarding his soiled clothing ruefully, “I guess I must have had an awful time.”’ Hugh did not volunteer any further in- formation. After some time William, now being certain that he was at least intact, spoke again, with more humility than was habitual. “T believe I would like some coffee, please—and thanks for the trouble, old man. Then I guess I'll go along to the hotel.” Hugh poured the coffee into a bowl with condensed milk from a “tin cow” on the table. When William had finished, as though with an effort Hugh remarked: * You'll be staying here with me a while.” William was not certain that he had heard aright. ‘“ What?” he exclaimed, startled into forgetfulness of his various tribulations. “ Once,” said Hugh, “ I used to prospect 5 A ae += 7 io | Ee ee SST ae : ee ie ee ee ee Os en ee eT some with your old man. I fell in a pros: 23 pect hole—he pulled me out.” evidently no explanation. will,” and with that again fell silent. For five ensuing minutes William him-— = self furnished all the conversation—a gen- “T heard,” said ae Hugh, “ you came out here to work. You = eral statement to the effect that he was — < ‘ going at once to the hotel, had no intention of staying in Hobart, anyway: he did not. know what Hugh’s intentions might be, but they sounded positively criminal, and in any case he, William, offered violent ob- — jection. “Hot stopes,” said Hugh. “Like a Turkish bath. Sweat—all the meanness gone—no time at all.” And again William offered a series of re- = marks that seemed to him appropriate and — in order. | “ Shut up,” said Hugh, “or I'll lay you out again.” There was no anger in that voice; the remark was simply a calm and — positive statement. A great light dawned in William’s un- — happy brain. Again his hand explored his bruised chin cautiously. ‘“ You,” he ac- cused, “ assaulted me last night!” “You needed it,” said Hugh in a con- tented tone. William’s comments became distinctly sulphurous. Hugh was rapidly growing weary of the Better sleep,” said he; “ you _ argument. will need it—bad.” It would be neither decent nor informa- tive to record all the happenings of that day, or to divulge the methods by which William was finally persuaded to the view- point of Silent Hugh—that the only way men learn to appreciate great wealth is — through intimate acquaintance with the methods by which wealth is won. - It is enough that, near seven o'clock, two men, garbed in the copper-stained overalls of workmen in the mines, left Hugh’s cabin, almost arm in arm, descended to Logger Shannon's, where they had one drink apiece, no more than that, and then ascend- ed the hill to the shaft-house of the mine. ~~ There was no conversation between the two. Hugh ee a A = Sa ee —. i ee Ta a ——— > = One of those two men was a as comicbooks.com : oy A! TPS wi ¢ ua wen fi . a , Ab ii te A? hy eae if Ar v5 ay PE REL, eee a4 (ee LP ; Loyd (ip BAe Vy a ab by | ‘ Pot » AU ee