Read Online King of Spades by Frederick Manfred - Free Book Online Page B

door opened and Herman Bell’s flat unemotional voice sang out in the kitchen. “Oh, Doc?”
    â€œYes?”
    Herman Bell stepped into the doorway of the dining room. “Begging your pardon, Doc, but Ted Jakes wants me to pay you his respects and to say that his wife’s about topop with her sixth. I’ve got the horse and buggy waiting outside for you.”
    Magnus slapped down his carving knife and fork. “By the Lord!” Magnus jerked off his napkin, got to his feet.
    â€œBut, Magnus, I’ve just put the dinner on,” Kitty protested. “Can’t this Mrs. Jakes wait a little? A few minutes?”
    Herman Bell held his head to one side. “Ted Jakes says his wife’s already pretty far along. And you know how it is, a stitch in time saves nine.”
    Red spots appeared on Kitty’s cheeks. “Och! that Jakes. He’s as bad a worrier as his old granny of a father was. Always shaking hands with the devil before he’s met him.”
    Herman Bell held his head to one side even farther. “Mrs. Jakes has always had ’em in a rush, Mrs. King. I know. I’ve delivered several myself.”
    Kitty got to her feet too. “Daddy, please, I don’t want you to go without eating something.”
    â€œI’m really not hungry,” Magnus said shortly.
    â€œYou’re slowly turning to skin and bones.”
    Magnus turned to Roddy. “Get my bag.”
    Herman Bell said, “You didn’t have it with you when you came home tonight, Doc.”
    Magnus clapped a hand to the pocket where he’d put his revolver. “So I didn’t.”
    Kitty’s eyes opened some. “That’s the third time you’ve forgot your bag in the last week, Magnus.”
    â€œIt’s all right,” Magnus said. “We can drive by the office and pick it up.”
    â€œWhat’s the matter with you lately, Magnus?” Kitty touched Magnus lightly on the elbow. “You’ve become so forgetful.”
    Magnus brushed off her touch. “Nothing’s the matter with me. Please don’t interfere.”
    Herman Bell’s head came up. “Don’t worry, Mrs. King. Your husband’s got a lot of things on his mind.”
    â€œI still don’t like it.”
    â€œMrs. King, we here in Sioux City, we’re thankful Magnus ain’t like the last doc we had. Old Doc Walker. Why, Old Doc Walker was sometimes so mean from overwork he made the cook whistle in the kitchen to make sure she wasn’t eating raisins.”
    â€œThanks.”
    â€œDon’t mean no misrespect, Mrs. King. But out here in the sticks, where doctors come and go like tumbleweeds, we get some pretty funny pills, let me tell you. There ain’t only one kind of feller nuttier than a doctor on the frontier, Mrs. King, and that’s a printer.”
    â€œI’ll keep the supper warm for you, Magnus.”
    â€œDon’t bother. I’ll grab a bite downtown. You never know about these things.”
    â€œBye, Dad.”
    â€œBye, Roddy.”
    A deep sigh welled up out of Kitty. “I still don’t like it, Magnus. You’ve been acting so funny lately. I’m afraid.”
    â€œPah!”
    Roddy’s eyes came up in a wondering query. “Say, Dad?”
    â€œYes?” Magnus turned in the doorway.
    â€œOn the way back, maybe if you was to come along real sneaky like, maybe you can catch that wild-animal man you was lookin’ for. Window-peekin’.”
    Magnus grimaced fiercely. “Maybe.”
    Kitty’s face opened. The look of a startled doe came into her eyes, glistening, transparent. “Magnus?” Her eyes widened so far their strange dissimilarity gleamed vividly clear, the left eye as though obscured with racing green smoke, the right eye a severe brown. “Daddy? A wild-animal man?”
    Herman Bell suddenly became alert too. “Did you say window-peeper, boy?”
    Roddy