Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 114: what you’re looking at

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

104 It was not until he heard a distant rumble that he turned. And then he saw Cameron standing not more than a half dozen feet from him. For the first time he looked directly at Cameron. Cameron was standing rigid. His arms were folded over his chest and his chin was resting on the index finger of his closed right hand, the thumb underneath. Cameron’s eyes were steady and they were filled with ineffable contempt. But Strong saw something behind the contempt —a cold yearning to do violence. Strong gulped with thankfulness when the train slid in and stopped with the steps of one of the coaches directly in front of him. He clambered aboard, entered the coach and dropped his suit case upon a seat. Then he stood, staring fearfully at the door. He wondered if Cameron was coming aboard. Sweating, Strong began mentally to curse the train crew for the delay. He heard the conductor laughing, and never did laughter seem so hateful. Although waiting, intensely eager for the train to start, Strong’s heart seemed to leap into his throat when it did finally begin to move. Then he leaned over and gazed out of the window nearest him. He saw Cameron standing near the ticket window, watching. Then the train whirled away, and Strong knew he was taking his last look at Ran- some. Not for ten times as much money as the draft in his pocket called for would he have returned to Ransome, to face the eyes which had watched him during the last hour of his stay in the town. Leaning back in his seat, mopping the sweat from his face, Strong shivered. CHAPTER XXII. THE JOY OF JEALOUSY. AMERON had suggested getting a trained nurse for Ballantine. He had also told Dr, Mills that if Ballantine’s wound did not yield readily to treatment he was to call in another physician, from Dry Bottom. But Dr. Mills had smiled deprecatingly. ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. “There is no danger of the old boy not pulling through,” he said. ‘‘He’s got a constitution like a horse. He’s lived clean, and he’s as rugged as sole leather. His pride is hurt more than his body. He'll never get it back. You beat him to the ‘ draw,’ and he can’t get over it. “As for a trained nurse, I don’t think he’d have one around. I suggested it and he gave me a look that nearly froze me. Besides, Virginia is as good as any trained nurse I ever saw. Maybe that statement ~ may sound unethical, but it’s the truth. “In the first place, Virginia’s got brains. In the second place, she loves the old scoun- drel, and makes him see it. And just now he needs love more than he needs anything else.” He looked sharply at Cameron, adding: “By the way, you haven’t been in to see him yet. He’s strong enough, even, to look at you.” Cameron was in no mood for levity. Two days had passed since he had seen Strong on the train, and he had since discovered ‘from Baxter that Strong was the man who had kicked Bum. If he had known that at the time he had escorted Strong to the station he felt he would have treated the man differently. He also had discovered that Bill Nelson had left town. Calamity had seen him, about one o’clock in the morning after the attack on Baxter, walking through the square. Nelson’s trousers had been badly torn, there was a wound in his throat, his hands had been bleeding. Calamity had got close enough to him to observe these things. And some hours later Nelson had climbed aboard an eastbound train. | Thus, at least in Cameron’s opinion, was revealed the identity of Strong’s confed- erate. Nelson was the man Baxter had not seen. Cameron wondered if Nelson had not been punished enough. For, according to Calamity, Nelson’s wounds had been rather severe. That appeared to end the incident. Cam- eron was certain that Strong and Nelson would never return to Ransome. Cameron had not attempted to discover Strong’s motive in trying to set fire to the office. Still less did he seek a reason for COMmiclooOokKs (C@)