Argosy All-Story Weekly, 4 February 1922 — page 97: what you’re looking at

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

around here. When Davies is all right again, then fight it out, when it can’t get the whole town in a mess. Until then you keep away from Davies—see?”’ “But if he calls me—hall! I gotta fight!” Here was a most bewildered Ko- walski. ‘“‘ All right,” said Belle, indifferent again. * Then I’m through with you.” Then her voice became caressing. ‘“‘ Look here, Ko- walski—we’ve been good friends now for quite a while. Mebbe not as good as we could be—but this is the first thing I ever _ asked of you.” A threat crept into that soft voice. “‘ But I'll tell you this right now—and I mean it, too. I’m tired of these rows here, anyway. And if you, Kowalski, start another one, now that I’ve told you that I want it stopped—well, Davies has been at me to leave Hobart for quite a while. If you want to see any more of me you'll lay low and do just what I’ve laid out for you. You can take that or leave it, Kowalski, as you like.” Belle leaned back in her chair, as one who has said the final word, and what is more, intends to keep that word to the last letter. “ Wat?” cried Kowalski. “ You marry dat feller—an’ you go away?” “Just that,” said Belle: “ And I will, even if the prospect doesn’t please me much. ” “Dan, you don’ like, why you not marry me?” “Sure,” said Belle sarcastically, “ and the first thing I want you turn me down!” Was ever man in a more sorry plight— here, at the beginning of hope, to have hope snatched away? Kowalski, as was only to be expected, fell promptly into the_ trap that Belle’s scheming had set for his. un- wary feet. “TT don’ let you do w’at you say,” he cried, much worried. “I do w’at you say —you don’ do dat. I mek no troubie—I keep shut my mout’! Mebbe-you t’ink better for me, eh?” “Good!” Belle flashed an ardent smile at him. “ You'll both forget it by next week. And when things get quieted down a bit, come around as often as. you like.” - “ Mebbe,” said Kowalski doubtfully, “J have some trouble wit’ my men?” “Oh, well, I can leave it to you to man- age them,” Belle returned confidently. Kowalski, in that moment, was sure he — could. He gathered his cinder-burned. hat into his hand.. “‘ Dan I see you in a day or two?” “Fine!” said Belle. “ But remember what I said.” Then Kowalski departed the way he came. Belle smiled enigmatically at his departing back. ‘* Well,” said Belle to herself, “ that set~. tles that.” Even Kowalski, self-congratu- latory, thought the same himself, until he was some distance from Belle’s door, when he grew doubtful. Not even then did he gage the full extent of the promise he had made to Belle. One thing Kowalski had forgotten that . he was. to remember with terror later in the afternoon after Davies’s challenge had been delivered. Those who would rule the mob need a strong hand. ‘Even in se- clusion Kowalski had been very busy sow- ing the wind among his smeltermen, think- ing the whirlwind might be ready for his reaping before night. saw a busy afternoon ahead. What might come after that, the night would tell. It is certain that Kowalski was no cow- ard; no man could be who ruled the smel- termen as Kowalski ruled. But it pres- ently appeared to him that the keeping of his promise involved at least the charge of cowardice before his men. Or else, if he fought, then he had lied to Belle, which promised consequences that he did not care - to contemplate. Within an hour after leaving Belle, Ko- walski was a sorely troubled man, exactly as Belle suspected he would be. It may be mentioned that after this interview, when Kowalski had talked to some of his men, blowing now hot, now cold, there were many smeltermen not less puzzled than was their natural leader. The meeting of miners at four o’clock ~ A condition of truce. was well attended. held the town in thrall. The committe on entertainment, prompted by Scott Hanley, Now, how to escape that harvest he did not know: He fore- ~ Ecomicbooks.con “Re eS . : . = , siete « * , . . -_ - me 2 ® < , om a eee * ~ — “+. =n ‘on = — ¥ 4 ~ 7 i ; — _ P d > - = : ™ R . a —~ er ee Og ee ee re nein RS Se oo eg et ae ne ee OPM Sg pa A > 7 \ « gy a ‘ Oi: " hi) Uf ¢ 2a ke fearadd pcas