Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 117: what you’re looking at

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

WITHOUT GLOVES. - Scotchmen. But listen to me, an’ we can ‘talk about that later. Blodgett’s goin’ to put in a dam on the north line of section ten.” “A dam! <A dam, did ye say? On the narth line av siction tin! Why, bye, ut w’d flood me out!” “Sure it would, an’ that’s jest what he figgers on doin’. They was some surveyors through here, wasn’t they?” “Sure they was, f’r th’ new railroad. They spint a hull day where the narth line av siction tin crosses th’ river. They said ut wuz a bridge they was figgerin’ on fr th’ railroad to cross on.” Railroad — hell!” | exclaimed Neely. “They ain’t no railroad comin’ through here. It’s Blodgett’s dam they was layin’ off. 3 “But King, he says how the company - was figgerin’ a cut-off lme from Thunder Head to the M. and I.” “ King was hired by Blodgett to figger out how to steal your timber an’ he figgered that floodin’ it, an’ drown’din’ out all yer young stuff, an’ gittin’ the rest appraised an’ buyin’ it in, was about the easiest way to a a | ee The girl had istened breathlessly as Ee laced her boots. From behind some cheap curtains that evidently screened a bed came a low, tremulous wail. The girl crossed the room. “ Do be still, mother,” she begged. will come out all right.” The low wailing continued, and the girl turned to Neely, her face deathly white. “Oh, he can’t do that!” she cried. “ Sure- ly, he can’t do that—after we’ve worked so hard all these years!” The big man shook his head lugubriously. “7 don’t know, miss. He’s got the money. They’s be’n things as raw as this pulled in the woods before now. We got one chanst, an’ only one. We got to git to St. Paul by Tuesday mornin’, The legisla- ture committee meets at ten o’clock at the Capitol, for a hearin’ on this bill. An’ we got to be there to fight it. I know a lawyer in Little Falls. We'll wire him to get on the train when we go through. We'll fight "em—but Blodgett’s got his paid witnesses.” “‘ Where’s — where’s Shirly Leonard?” “ It 587 asked the girl, and Neely noted the tinge of color that flooded her face at the words. “Leonard, he’s—with Blodgett,” he an- swered eruffly. “The dirty pup switched over as soon as Blodgett offered to pay us double our winter’s wages fer to testify ac- cordin’ to instructions.” “Oi know’d ut! Oi know’d he wuz a domned spy! Av he’d of come back Oi’d av shot um!” cried MacAlister. - Neely interrupted him. “ We aint got no time to lose talkin’,” he reminded, “ We’ve got to git the team hooked up an’ light out fer Thunder Head. It’s after twelve o'clock, an’ Monday already. An’ we got to be there Tuesday mornin’, sure.” MacAlister slipped on his mackinaw and lighted the lantern. “Git us a bite to ate, Mary, an’ pack th’ valise while we git th’ harses out,” he called, and as Neely followed the old man out the door, he heard a low, muffled sob that was drowned by the rattle of the iron frying pan that the girl placed on the stove. “Gurl, yell not be goin’!” cried Mac- Alister, as at the conclusion of the hasty meal Mary drew on her heavy fur coat. “Yes, I’m going,” she answered, and Neely silenced the old man’s further ob- jection. “Let her go, MacAlister,” he advised. “She kin talk better than we kin. An’ we need all the help we kin git. You can’t never tell what’ll happen when yer buckin’ a man with money.” So MacAlister gave reluctant consent, and on the road to Thunder Head, between spells of shovelling drifts from the trail that wound endlessly through the cut-over, Neely told all he knew. of the details of Blodgett’s scheme. In the gray of the morning they drew up before the hotel, where Pat MacCor- mack welcomed Neely and the girl while MacAlister put up his team. While they waited for breakfast Neely related the plot to MacCormack who listened with ejacula- tions frequent and profane. At the conclu- sion of the narrative the landlord suse his _ head dubiously: ““Mabbe ye'll bate the bloody owld divil, but, Oi’m doubtin’ ut. “Twas count rey him Oi’m peggin’ round on this wooden (ECA MICE OOO KE, (E©) ‘ih