"Now that's enough, Horatio," I said. "You can turn yourself off
again. I don't want you to wear out."
"Thanks," Horatio said gratefully. He smiled faintly at Alice.
"Pleased to have met you," he said. Then he vanished into the brown
background of the chair.
"Get me a drink!" Mystiffio said. He grasped the edge of the desk and
stared solemnly at the empty brown chair. "Get me two drinks."
"What is it?" Alice demanded. "How do you do it? Mirrors? Lighting?
It's terrific."
"It's completely on the level. Now here's the angle. I'm going to put
this guy into your act. Wait'll the crowds get a load of Mystiffio's
magic then. With Horatio in the background pulling the strings he'll
make Thurston look like an amateur parlor entertainer."
Mystiffio turned to me stiffly.
"What," he said frigidly, "makes you think I need an invisible man to
help me in my act? I am perfectly capable of astounding and amazing an
audience by myself."
"You're quoting your own press notices now," I said. "I know; I wrote
'em."
"And what makes you think I'm not as good as Thurston?" Mystiffio
asked in an injured voice.
"Ah, temperament!" I murmured. I turned to Alice. "You work on him.
You can see that Horatio will be a good thing, can't you? You don't
want your act to die, do you?"
"Mr. Flannigan." It was Horatio. His voice sounded apologetic. "I
don't want to disturb you, but what has all this got to do with
getting me into the army? You sound more like a booking agent than the
Soldier's Friend."
Alice looked at me.
"Heel," she said. "What kind of line are you giving him?"
"Horatio," I said. "I am disappointed. I expected a little trust from
you. Didn't I tell you it might be a little while before I got things
set? This angle I'm working now will put you practically into the
army."
"Yeah! How?"
"I'm going to line you up doing an act for the U. S. O. Does that show
you my heart's in the right place?"
"There will be a short pause for cat-calls and boos," Alice murmured.
"All right," Horatio said with a sigh. "I'll go along with you."
"Fine," I said. "And just to get you used to army life I'm going to
start paying you fifty bucks a month."
"You great big generous man," Alice said and I think there was a
twinge of sarcasm in her voice.
"Now that's no way to talk," I said. "I'm doing the lad a favor."
"Yeah," she said. "I'm sure you are. Just like a man picking up a
dollar bill is doing the street cleaners a favor."
"You don't understand my noble motives," I said, "so I will not talk
about them anymore. Tomorrow we start rehearsing the new act."
* * * * *
Well, sir, it was absolutely amazing the way Horatio picked that act
up. With his dexterous, invisible help Mystiffio performed like the
paragon of all prestidigitators. Alice added a jolt of high-voltage
eye-appeal to the ensemble, by smiling sweetly and wearing a black
satin bathing suit that had been designed by some patriotic person who
believed in saving material to the point of cutting down on
essentials.
I was sure, for the first time in my stretch in this loony business,
that I had an option on a nice private little gold mine.
And I wasn't going to let anything upset my cartful of golden apples.
"Okay," I said. They were rehearsing on the stage of an empty theater
which was owned by a guy I'd done some favors for. "You look pretty
good, but don't let it go to your head. The act needs a lot of work.
Keep at it. I'm going out to get a sandwich."
Alice put her hands on her hips and looked down at me.
"Everything is fifty-fifty with you, isn't it?" she said. "We do the
work, you get the money. Nice even split."
"Careful, beautiful," I said. "You'll die of your own poisons, if you
don't look out." I waved to her and left. After I'd had a bite to eat,
I went to see one of the biggest agents in the business, the guy who
books all the acts into the Capitol in New York.
"Look, Morry," I said, when his secretary had ushered me into his
office, which was big enough to hold the World Series in, "I've really
got something terrific lined up."
Morry looked up at me and his little eyes were uninterested. He yawned
and dusted a fleck of dust from the sleeve of his coat.
"What is it?" he asked.
"It's a magician's act that--"
Morry shook his head. "Magicians are dead. Who wants to see rabbits
pulled out of a hat?"
"This is different. This guy is good."
"All right, he's good," Morry said. "So what? We can't use him."
"But you ought to at least see the act," I pleaded. "It's got a honey
of a girl, too."
"Girl?" Morry glanced up and there was a flicker of interest in his
little eyes.
"Yeah, a honey."
"Well," Morry shrugged. "I can't promise anything, but we do need an
act to fill in a spot within a week or so. But whatever I get has to
be good. I can't send bums to New York."
"I know. I know," I said. My heart was hammering with hope. One break
on the Stem and I'd be set. "When will you catch the act? Tomorrow be
all right?"
Morry nodded.
I went back to the theatre walking about three feet from the ground. I
felt I was in at last. It was a funny feeling I couldn't analyze, but
I knew I was going to be in.
* * * * *
When I walked into the little office back stage I found Alice there
talking to Horatio.
She was saying, "There should be _something_ you could do for the
Army, Horatio," as I walked into the office.
Horatio was standing by the desk, shoulders slumped. I had to look
twice to make him out against the background of the desk and wall.
Alice shut up when she saw me.
"Horatio and I were just talking," she said.
"Yeah," I said. "Now Horatio and I are going to do a little talking.
Make yourself scarce."
Alice left and I turned to Horatio.
"What kind of a line was she giving you?" I snapped.
"Why, gosh, Mr. Flannigan," Horatio stammered. "She was just trying to
help me. She's just as interested in getting me into the Army as you
are. She's a wonderful girl, Mr. Flannigan."
There was something in his voice that brought me up with a jolt. The
kid had fallen for the girl as sure as I stood there.
"Now, look," I said gently. "You really want to get set with Uncle
Sam, don't you?"
"Why, sure."
"Then listen to me. I'm doing everything I can for you. And I've got a
deal all lined up. I was just over at the Army recruiting station and
I think everything is set. Not right away, but pretty soon."
"Gosh, that's wonderful."
"Now you know who your friend is." I came over beside him and put my
hand on his shoulder. "I got a little piece of advice for you that I
want you to take to heart. Stay away from this kid, Alice. She's no
good for you."
"Now just a minute. You can't--"
"I'm sorry, kid," I said. I let my hand fall from his shoulder. "Maybe
I shouldn't tell you, but--"
"Tell me what?"
"It's only for your own good I'm doing this. That pretty little blonde
is just going to play you for a sucker. She's already married."
Horatio gasped. He must have been pretty sold on the girl.
"I don't believe it," he cried.
"It's God's truth."
"Who is the man?" Horatio cried brokenly.
"Mystiffio."
"Mystiffio!"
I nodded slowly. "It's a tough break, kid, but the sooner you forget
her the better." I had already decided I'd get rid of her. She
wouldn't be hard to replace. Horatio was my gold mine and I didn't
want anyone to do a scorched-earth job on him.
"But she never told me," he muttered.
"Naturally," I said. "She'll probably even deny she's married to him
now, but don't let that fool you."
"No, sir," Horatio said. "She won't make a sucker out of me." His
anger must have subconsciously affected his visibility mechanism for
he was visible and his lean jaw was hard, but there was a hurt look in
his clear blue eyes.
"That's the boy," I said. "Just remember who your friends are and you
won't go wrong."
"I won't, Mr. Flannigan," he promised solemnly.
* * * * *
The next afternoon Morry arrived to see the act. He was dressed in a
natty pin stripe suit and he wore a big yellow carnation in the
buttonhole, but his sallow face was impassive.