Argosy and Railroad Man's Magazine — page 35: what you’re looking at

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

ia COLD Martinez now repeated the fact of the dead man having fired the first shot, which Janet Hosmer confirmed. “Well, is there anything more?” Weir questioned. : “Not to-night, I reckon,” Madden re- plied. We'll have an inquest in the morn- ing. Show up then. Where will I find your father, Miss Hosmer?” “At home.” Then to the engineer she explained: ‘‘ Father acts in the absence of the coroner, who’s away just now.” “Tm very sorry this happened, on your account,” said he. “And V’m very glad you were not hurt.” Outside, the corpse was being borne away, followed by the crowd of Mexicans. “You're still shaken by the thing. It’s enough to upset any girl. Let me walk home with you, or you may be starting at shadows all the way.” CHAPTER VII. JANET HOSMER. A SILVERY brightness shone in the east as they came out of Martinez’s office that increased as they went forward until all at once the moon arose into view, light- ing the street, disclosing the flanking lines of squat buildings, revealing the tall cotton- woods about the court-house and elsewhere thrust up in the town. Janet Hosmer breathed a sigh of relief. The darkness had seemed potent for further evil, but now it-was as if the latter re- treated with the shadows. She felt a desire to go on alone, to separate herself from this companion with whom chance had brought her in contact at a dramatic moment, to get away from the whole terrible affair. Involuntarily her spirit shrank at the nearness of the man, for though he had struck back in self-defense, he nevertheless had killed another, and the act somehow appeared to set him apart from ordinary men, isolate him, give him the character of an Ishmael. Yet her feelings were confused. Against this inclination was an avid curiosity, or rather a wonderment, as to what must now be occurring in his soul. STEEL. 377 Her eyes sought his face as he walked beside her. Neither had spoken; and his countenance wore the same stern, contained aspect, calm, forceful, as the first time she had ever observed it. But what was below the surface? What were the thoughts now revolving in his mind, and the emotions flowing in his breast? She could read nothing on that composed mask of a face. Was it possi- ble for a man to slay another human being, even justifiably, without suffering a hurri- cane of the spirit? : But perhaps he had killed men before. The fact of his carrying a weapon and his swift, deadly fire pointed ominously to pre- vious experience. ‘““Did you_ever shoot any one before?” popped from between her lips. Then she stopped, clapping her hand over her mouth in consternation, and staring at him palely. Weir had halted, too. He regarded her in silence for a little, a slight smile resting on his face. They stood before the bank, and his look went past her once to embrace the small, darkened building. “Tm not a murderer by trade, if that’s what you mean,” said he, at last. “ But I’ve killed a man or two before, yes.” Then, at the white anguish of her lips and cheeks, his tone softened a degree as he went on: “Unfortunately, since becoming of age, I’ve had to fight. If not men, then the earth. If not the earth, then men. Some- times both together. You saw what hap- pened to-night; that fellow was unknown to me. He was not a workman who had been discharged and felt he had a griev- ance—”’ “Oh, no!” she interjected. ‘“ The Mexi- cans here wouldn’t attempt to murder you, however angry they might feel.” “Tm not so sure of that,” he answered. “But I am; I know them, I’ve lived among them!” “Well, let that go. The man tried to kill me, at any rate. However, he was merely a tool, hired for the business by some one else. Ordinarily I don’t discuss my affairs with any one, but since you’ve raised the matter I'll just say that I’ve enemies in San Mateo, who are anxious to dispose of me.” commiclooolks.conn