Argosy All-Story Weekly, January 21, 1922 — page 147: what you’re looking at

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

FOR MAGGIE’S SAKE. ce Yes.”’ “What do you think of Chauncey Wilkes?” “Oh, Chauncey is all right since he tamed down a bit. He’s doing real nicely, don’t you think?” “TI don’t know. He seems to be. you have any idea where he’s gone?” “No, I don’t, Bill.”” Maggie grew sud- denly serious. “I’m afraid he tired of our rather dull life here and went back to the city. He came from the city, you know.” “ Where’bouts?” “ Back East somewhere,” Maggie an- swered elusively. “* Maggie?” 6C Yes.”’ “‘T’m head over heels in love with you.” Maggie turned toward him quickly. She looked thoughtfully at his deep, brown eyes. * Are you really, Bill?” she asked anx- iously. Something in her voice made Bill’s heart leap vigorously. “ Am I really?” He grasped her hand. ‘‘ Maggie, I want you so bad I have to sit up nights to keep from talking about it in my sleep.” He said it so earnestly Maggie didn’t dare to laugh. “Will you marry me, Maggie?”’ | Maggie was sorely tempted to ask for time to think it over. For a little while she said nothing whatever. She liked Bill, but she had never thought of marrying him. Suddenly she made up her mind to settle the matter once and for all right then. | “I’m sorry, Billy,” she said simply, and she was—dreadfully sorry for him. “Sorry? For what, Maggie?” “For you, Bill, that you love me. that way. I can’t marry you.” “Why, Maggie?” ‘“¢ Because I don’t love you.” Why did he persist in pressing the matter? She did not want to hurt him, and her words seemed terribly harsh and direct. She thought to take off the edge a little. ‘I like you, oh, ever so much, but don’t vou understand, Billy, I don’t like you that way.” A sudden fear gripped Bill’s heart. Do See 137 rT; Maggie?” <4 Yes.”’ “Do you like Chauncey that way? You’ve been with him a lot.” Maggie was silent for a time, then she answered softly: “I’m afraid so, Billy.” Bill Howle sat for a long time, staring down into the hollow out of which they had climbed. Maggie didn’t know what to do, so she just sat and stared down in the hollow too. “Well,” he said at last, rising to his feet, “ Chauncey will be back in about a month. He told me before he left. Think it over, Maggie, think it over.” They descended the hill to the road and walked back to Mrs. Vlatchly’s. Bill did not go in. - Instead he untied his horse by the gate and ‘drove home, packed his grip, and went to Boise. Maggie had feared that he was learning to think too much of her. She was glad now the affair was over and past. She hoped sincerely that he would forget the matter as speedily as pos- sible. But Maggie didn’t know all there was to know about Bill Howle. III. AT a hotel in Boise, Bill saw Chauncey in the midst of a crowd of sporty-looking chaps, laughing, smoking, and having a time in general. Bill avoided him and went up to his room. After a bit he was roused by the sound of voices and loud laughter in the adjoining room. The rooms were sep- arated by a narrow hall. The transits were open, and Bill had no difficulty hearing what was going on. “Well, Chaunce, old walrus, where you been the last couple of lifetimes? Now that the crowd’s gone, spill me a bit of private information about yourself. Still handling other people’s valuables?” “‘ Soft pedal a bit. There’s no use ad- vertising this conversation to the general public.” “Excuse my thoughtlessness. I’ve been out of the danger zone so long I’m growing bold like a Republican politician. Well, Chaunce, what’s the last good gag you pulled?” “To tell the truth, Spud, since I pulled COMmiclboo SS C©