Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 143: what you’re looking at

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

POOR LITTLE PIGEON. “Yes,” I said, and waited. ‘“ They’ve found Pulfer,” his words came at once. “I’m down here at Parkin’s, the undertaker’s, and so is Quagley. Come down if you want to see him—but it won’t be a pleasant sight.” ‘All right,” I told him, hung up, and turned and delivered the message. ‘“ Such evidences of man’s fimiteness are never pleasant; but in this instance let us at least go down and behold how the mills have ground,” Dual said as I paused, and rose. CHAPTER XIX. HOW NEPTUNE DIED. IVE minutes’ walk brought us to the Parkin undertaking establishment, outside which stood a small inward peering crowd. We thrust our way through, and Bryce tapped on the half glass of the door. Quagley admitted us himself. His face was haggard, dust and sweat streaked, tired. There was a strained look of horror in his eyes. “Come in,” he said. but I didn’t find that damned Injun. T never will, I guess.” He closed the door and led us back to a farther room, where Pulfer’s body lay on a wooden table. I caught my breath. The thing was swollen, bloated almost beyond recognition, as I saw at my first glance. It was still clad in the clothing the man had worn when he went to his death, except that both trou- sers legs had been cut away as with a knife, two-thirds up the thighs. There was a deep indentation, as though something had been tied tightly about them on both ankles and wrists. I glanced at Bryce—at Judson, who had been standing beside the table when we came in—at a man I later knew as Parkin— at Quagley, now set-lipped and scowling. And then I looked at Dual and saw full understanding in his face as he advanced to the table and stood looking down at the horror it held—that dreadful, bloated, dis- colored thing we had last seen as a strong man full of life. “T found him; An’ ‘Behold Neptune!” Suddenly he spoke in the silence, broken only before by the sounds of our individual breathings. “What! What’s that?” Quagley’s voice was harshly challenging—hoarse. The wings of his nostrils quivered. He narrowed the dusty lids over his heat and dust tor- tured eyes. ‘* Behold—-Neptune—Judas,” Dual re- peated. ‘‘ Seducer—betrayer of women— betrayer of friendship and friendship’s trust —distributor of body and soul destroying drugs—tricked now himself—destroyed—as ever with those who seek to win and use devil’s gold.” ‘* Him—Pulfer?”” Quagley gritted. “See here, Mr. Dual, do you mean he’s this Neptune you’ve been talkin’ about?” ‘““ Neptune,” Dual repeated. ‘‘ Aye, She- riff Quagley, Neptune indeed. I have known him from the first.” ‘But you’ve worked with him,” Quagley said gruffy. “If you knew—” “Because I knew,” Semi altered his meaning, “ I have worked not with him, but to defeat his schemes. Tell us how and where you found him. From his wrists and ankles, I would say they had been tied with thongs.” ‘“* Rawhide!” Quagley grated and seem- ingly fought for control before going on “T’ve heard of it, but I never seen it be- fore an’—I don’t want to again. We—we found him up in the hills—maybe five miles from where the trail began. His own men followed the trail. It wasn’t very plain. But they’re half Injuns themselves an’ they managed to do it. We come on him all at once—on a side hill in the sun. And you’re right. He was tied—pegged down—spread- eagled—do you understand. An’—an’—off to one side— By God, it makes me sick yet.” A shudder visibly shook him. ‘Off to one side was another stake or possibly stakes,’ Dual prompted. Quagley nodded. “‘ You—you know— that,” he said slowly. “ You’ve heard about it too, maybe?” ‘““T have heard about it. It was an an- cient Aztec custom,” Dual made answer. “And I knew that this man should die from poison, from my study of this matter, but—I was not sure until this time.” L_ COMmicboookSs.€©