The Argosy, Christmas 1912 — page 103: what you’re looking at

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

BEFORE THE DARK. attend to, he had had to concentrate his mind; but directly his duties were over the depression returned. Osgood’s talk caused him to make an effort to overcome it. And the thought of the presence of one of the visitors to the review, who was com- ing at his special invitation, helped him more. The camp, and particularly the at- traction of the review on this last day, had been a magnet for people of a dif- ferent kind from the regiment’s visit- ors. Numbers of shrewd small deal- ers and venders had swooped down on the outskirts of the parade-ground and camp lines. They brought with them innumerable attractions—various kinds of side-shows, weighing - machines, moving-picture tents, candy and pop- cern stands, and all the useful and or- namental side lines of a county fair. They intended to make a sort of fete out of the last afternoon at camp. Bennett and Osgood had started to stroll along in the direction of these allurements. They did not hurry. The main event of the afternoon was not due to come off for another hour. “You're having a visitor, of course,” remarked Osgood casually. “I sup- pose you'll want to meet her and escort her to her seat?” “Yes. Miss Trevor. But I don’t expect her for half an hour yet.” Miss Edith Trevor was the bright particular star in Bennett’s firmament of feminine friends. He thought more of her than any other girl he knew. Miss Trevor also occupied a promi- nent place in Osgood’s feminine stellar system, although no one but himself was aware of it—not even the girl her- self yet. And especially not Bennett. “TLet’s go in here,’ suggested Os- good, stopping short. They had reached a fortune-teller’s tent, one of the “ we’ll-tell-you-your-name-first ” kind. Bennett was not attracted by the prospect. He had no faith in fortune- telling, or any of the allied arts or in- dustries. Osgood, however, believed in them profoundly. 89 Bennett was amused by his super- stition, but at the same time sorry to see it. A man hates to see a friend clinging obdurately to a weakness. None of Bennett’s arguments had ever been able to convince Osgood that it was a weakness. Osgood would cite numerous cases with which he had personal acquaintance of people who had profited by following a prediction, and even more numerous cases of peo- ple who had not profited, but had dis- tinctly suffered by not taking heed to one. — “Why should we go in?” objected Bennett. “It’s only waste of time. It’s all a fake.” “You always say that because you are prejudiced. You say it now be- cause you are a bit in the dumps. Cheer up, and step lively. This is go- ing to be a great afternoon, especially for you. Start it off with a little ex- citement. Come and hear your future told.” “I know what my future is. least, the immediate future.” “What? ” “Something sensible; that’ is to say, getting cool. I recollect various people speaking of quenching their thirst on these hot days. Rumors have reached me that there is a tidy little spot where the wish may be con- summated. I seem to remember such a place. We might go and_ look for it.” “All right, we will; but it won’t take long to drop in here first. Come on.” Bennett resignedly followed him into the tent. After all, absurd as for- tune - telling was, it might prove di- verting and take his mind off his troubles until she came. The tent will get no description. It was not at all a nice tent. It was not clean. And it did not look as though it ever had been. On entering, they found the proph- etess seated on a stool. The audience did not take long. Fortune - tellers nowadays have to be brief and to the At oO cComicbooks CO