Argosy All-Story Weekly, October 7, 1922 — page 117: what you’re looking at

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

MAGNIFICENT FOLLY. Charlie glowered at him from repelling brows. “Do you think I want to stall around here forever, without no young nieces and nephews to play with, and call me ‘ Uacle Charlie ’ and tease me into learnin’ ’em how to swing a lariat and ride Sweetheart?” he demanded. ‘I tell you, Mike,” he went on accusingly. deprive me of my little pleasures thataway! I’ve got some rights, haven’t I?” he wanted. to know truculently. Knox was speechless with the suddenness of Charlie’s reversal. “ But, Charlie—” he managed to gasp when the plainsman cut him off with a con- tinuance of his amazing preachment. “ A fellow ain’t no good till he’s married. Look at me!” he thundered, by way of “ But, Charlie, I thought you were op- posed to matrimony?” Knox managed to in- terpose humbly. “Well, a fellow can change his aaiad, can’t he?” “ But, nothing! I ¢ell you, Mike, you ain’t got a leg left. to stand on—as for . Iris—”’ ce Tris! 2) “Yeah, the way you two are actin’ up makes me sick! Here I’ve been a-countin’ on dancin’ at your weddin’ aad the both of you fly the coop. It ain’t right, I tell you. It ain’t fair to me.” Knox was beginning to recover his poise. ‘ Charlie,” said he, rising. ‘“ I am sorry to disappoint you, but I cannot marry Iris even to please you. And it would not be ight to let her make the sacrifice, even if » were willing, when her heart is some- where else.”” He almost whispered the last . words, and his eyes were clouded with pain. Charlie shook his head with a peculiar, baffled movement. His Dutch-uncle lecture had been a complete failure. ‘ Look here!” said he with a final effort. “You're plum’ loco, both of you. Iris’s heart is all right. She thinks—” He broke off, suddenly remembering his promise to the girl. ‘Hell! I reckon I don’t know as much about this as I know,” he finished lamely. “You ain’t got no cause to. 263 ‘““T imagine you don't, Charlie,” said Knox, thinking of Oily Duke. “So drop it. It’s hopeless.” He turned toward the street. It was easier to go than to stay. Charlie gave up. He had been confronted with the same “ hopeless” declaration by each of the principals, and he was beginning to wonder if he had not at jast encountered a situation that was really hopeless. Upstairs, Iris was confident of the same thing. From her darkened window she watched Knox retrace his way up the street. The sight distressed her. She had not seen him since the day they romped together in the field of bluebonnets, and the reality of his presence had set her tumultuous emo- tions to surging. He had gone without seeing her! The loneliness of it! Could she retwm again to the bleakness of the last few days? The time had seemed impossible to go through without seeing him. The desolation of his absence had invested her like a pall, and Stringtown, without his bright presence, seemed sordid and repelling. She thought of him hourly, picturing him in a hundred well-remembered poses. She recalled the splendor of his smile, his rare frown, his tender glance, his ease and grace. She recreated many pictures from mem- ory—the times they walked together, the afternoon they heard the bird, in the store, on the swaying ladder, under the trees. With the eye of devotion she revisualized each loved feature—his fine forehead topped with amber lovelocks, the straight nose, arched lips and laughing blue eyes—the whele Hellenic face. Then, with a sob, she saw herself as she had been on the night of their betrothal, caught up for a brief time into another world. Tris, in an abandonment of despair, dropped to the rocking chair, which kind- hearted Mrs. Dowdy had insisted upon pro- viding for her comfort. She rocked furious- ly, in a vain effort to keep pace with her tumultuous feelings. The crumpled stock certificate was in her hands. Grimly she reviewed the task she had set herself to do—complete restitution of the money. Ten thousand dollars. It was hopeless. It would mean a lifetime of toil. Her lover was lost to her forever. comicboooks C©