Argosy and Railroad Man's Magazine — page 34: what you’re looking at

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

376 ARGOSY AND RAILROAD MAN’S MAGAZINE. same side of the street with himself, and perhaps twelve or fifteen paces off, he saw a girl’s figure appear before a window and disappear as she moved along. Then suddenly a tongue of red flame darted at him across the street, where lay a space of unlighted gloom. His hat was whipped off his head. The sharp report of a shot cracked between the adobe walls. | With an unbelievably rapid movement Steele Weir drew from his pocket the gun which he had carried ever since his en- counter with young Sorenson in the restau- rant, fired twice where he had seen the flame, and leaped aside into the darkness beside the doorway. There he waited, half crouching, for a further attack. But none came. Men began to run to- ward the place. Shouts and calls echoed along the street. In two minutes a crowd was surging before Martinez’s door, wildly asking questions. Weir pocketed his pistol and walked back into the office, where he found his bullet- pierced hat lying on the floor and the at- torney standing frozen with astonishment. A stream of people followed at his heels. ““Who did this shooting? Do you know, Felipe?” a tall, raw-boned white man, who led them, asked hastily. “This gentleman, Mr. Weir, was fired on; sheriff,” Martinez burst out volubly. “And I fired in return,” the engineer stated. . “ The fellow was across the street in the dark. You might look over there.” Turning and pushing his way through the packed door, the sheriff. disappeared. The crowd melted away again. Presently, as Weir glanced about, he saw a new figure at the doorway, staring at him. He went toward the girl outlined in the lamplight. “Was that you I saw moving along just before the exchange of compliments, Miss Hosmer?” he asked. “Yes. J was coming toward you, on my way home.” “Tt probably gave you a fright.” “Tt did, indeed. I heard the shot and saw your hat knocked off. I just went cold in my tracks. At first I believed you were killed.” “Tm very much alive, as you see.” “But it was dreadful! Who would fire at you from the dark? Some one tried to murder you!” “It looks like it. Still, here I am, ready to move your car out of the water next time it’s stalled.” She entered the room slowly. “Who in San Mateo would do such a terrible thing, Mr. Martinez?” she ad- dressed the lawyer. The pallor was still on her face and her eyes large with horror. “Ah, Miss Janet, if we but knew, we’d lay hands on him and:send him to the peni- tentiary.” Real emotion struggled in the lawyer’s words. With the return of his senses he had just begun to realize by what a narrow margin had the assassin’s bullet missed de- stroying his future client and prospects. A growing murmur across the street at- tracted their, attention. Then, as they con- tinued to chat of the event, the sheriff re- appeared, directing half a dozen men, who laid a burden in the light of Martinez’s doorway. “You got him,” he said to Weir with ominous significance. ‘‘ One bullet through the head, one through’ his stomach. He’s good and dead.” Weir walked forward and inspected the outstretched figure. It was the man whose gaze had been so malevolently fastened upon him as he joined Martinez before the bank, “Who is he?” he asked. ““A strange Mexican. Some of these men say he showed up this morning and hung around the saloons, not talking much. Didn’t you ever see him before?” The question expressed a perplexed curiosity. “Once. When Martinez and I were coming here to transact some business. He was taking a good look at me then when he passed us. That wasn’t over half an hour ago. Never saw him before that.” “ He shot at you first?” “T had just stepped out of this room. Could I see him hiding over there? Or know he was there?” Then he added: “I was taken by surprise, but I saw the flash of his gun.” The sheriff, Madden by name, looked at Weir appreciatively. “You can use one yourself,” said he. ConmicooolkSnconn