Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 139: what you’re looking at

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

THE LAUGHING RIDER. having seized the paper, changed his place with singular agility and blocked the exit. “‘ Another who is ‘ more than friend,’ ” he informed Annette dryly. Smedley turned pale and stood shuffling his feet in the middle of the room while MacQuillan read the letter. He read it carefully and slowly, then without a word, handed it to Annette. ‘Wait for an answer,” he ordered the boy, and turned to pace the floor. Smedley grinned with relief and waited. Annette read the letter. It said: Dear BALpy: They tell me if you don’t get Menzies, you lose your job. If you lose your job, I'll lose mine, which is riding herd on you and Willy- boy. I see there’s a reward of one hundred dollars on this Menzies, which is more than he’s worth. If you'll promise to keep your hobbles off me, and let me ride away as free as I come, I'll deliver him to you on the hoof Thursday night, and we can flip a nickel for the hundred. Please answer by bearer, who will return herewith. Very respectfully yours, WILLIAM O'BRIEN ARGENT. Annette chuckled happily. ~ “There!” she cried. “ But ees he not splendid! He will bring this Menzies in for But the sergeant had sunk into his chair at the table, and was gloomily regarding the far distance. “A week!” he groaned. ‘“ Three of such like in one week!” And there were other of Billy’s little tricks to be remembered. For Sergeant Mac- Quillan the future promised nothing joyful. It appeared dreary; even bleak. She placed the missive before him on the table. “ But you will not refuse?” she pressed him. He turned his gloomy countenance to the fragment of wrapping paper. He reread 765 Billy’s jaunty note and admired the spirit of it. He read it again; and smiled. “Aye,” he said. ‘“T’ll play the man’s game with him. If he brings Menzies in, I’m a winner. If he fails, and I misdoubt but he will, there’ll be something in life to laugh at.” He jerked pen into the inkwell, and wrote furiously but neatly on the neat letterhead of the Mounted, thus: Mr. Witt1AM O'BRIEN ARGENT: Dear Sir—Received your kind offer of even date, I shall be pleased to accept the terms set forth by you. I shall expect delivery of the man, Menzies, on Thursday evening before 10 P.M. BALWHIDER MAcQUILLAN, R. N. W. M. P. P, S.—In the flipping of coins, I shall pro- vide the nickel. B MacQ. Staff Sergeant, He folded the neat epistle, enveloped it and addressed the envelope. “Ye will take it back to your friend,” he instructed the boy, who departed whis- tling; and then MacQuillan turned to dis- cover Annette gazing upon him with a troubled cloud upon her brow. “ Sergeant MacQuillan,” she said, “ you have not done this to trap him?” MacQuillan again opened the door for her and, grasping her hand, led her into the sun- lit doorway. His impassive, handsome face, his steel blue eyes, were charged with a cer- tain dignity. She was conscious of it. “* Annette,” he said, “ must ye dislike me as much as that?” And she was immediately penitent. “No, no!” she assured him, impulsively. “TI am sorry. It is only that I have such fears for him.” “ Then I will tell ye this,” Sergeant Mac- Quillan. ‘If he should be guilty, and if we should ride the heart out of him, and bring him to’ the gallows for his crime, he would still be a lucky man. A verra lucky man.” | DARK O’ THE MOON - TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK U U Lv) By Bertua Lowry Gwynne one of the most engaging love stories we have ever printed, will be next Its heroine is a delight and the quarrel scene a gem. week’s Novelette. (E©) mM (S 000) cS (E(0)