Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 59: what you’re looking at

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

VALOR. happen what happened last night. Ef there is resistance, shoot ’°em down. Ef Preest don’t come, shoot him an’ shoot quick! Likewise don’t fool with Aleck Sheffield. Shoot on sight. An—” He caught. his breath suddenly, gulping. ‘ The boy!” His voice cracked. “If the boy throws talk, shoot him! He’s got ta come back. Dead or alive!” The men in the doorway regarded him gravely. He stood leaning over the table, glaring back at them. ‘“That’s what the old man wants!” he eritted. And save for a brief pause for as- surance, they accepted that command without a word. ‘““ There won’t be no foolin’,”’ said Merle ‘Sandies, as they trooped out through the door, and his words were a tribute to the far-reaching power of Old Man Parmelee. ‘“‘ Meet here tonight?” “ Shore, fer supper.” When the door had closed behind them, Dasent sank down into his chair. His mouth was twisted into a queer, complacent erin, but there were beads of perspiration on his forehead. Tansey addressed him with labored carefulness, speaking slowly. “Seems like yo’re takin’ considerable chances, Jud, takin’ the old man up thata- way. They’re all primed to shoot daylight out of these fugitives.” Dasent grinned with more assurance. “ The old man said it,” he repeated. ‘“‘ But there’s the kid.” ‘¢ Shore!” _ © Tt wouldn’t be so good if he got shot.” An’ why not? Isn’t that what the old man said? Dead or alive, he said. An’ that meant the kid inclusive.” Again the queer, cracked note came into his voice. “ An’ if that ain’t what he meant, he’s got hisself to blame!” he cried. “ You said we ain’t his dogs nor hawses. But that’s how he treats a man. All right, he’s got hisself to blame ain’t he, if we take his or- ders straight?” Revelation dawned in the mind of Tan- sey, and incredulously he acknowledged it. “My Godfrey, Jud!” he cried, “ yo’re lookin’ fer the inside of hell.” — “’m lookin’ to even things up with Old ‘Man Parmelee,” asserted Dasent. been one to sneer. Ae ee : pene <n Tansey looked at him curiously. He was listening to a voice which resounded in his memory; the voice of Harper Preest. “ Two skunks can’t play without fightin’!” the man had cried. And he had added some- thing about the teeth of Old Parmelee in Dasent’s throat. “No chance!” he warned. Dasent grinned. “It’s a chance in a hundred. There ain’t nobody on this range but knows how the old man’s dealt with me. This ranch was mine. This house I built myself an’ hauled the lumber through the sun in a hell of work an’ sweatin’. “‘ He took it—the range knows that. He took me over, lock, stock an’ barrel, and there ain’t nobody that ain’t sneered at the way I’ve played in with him since; doin’ what he tells me. Playin’ the right bower to his ace. Takin’ orders.” He grinned down upon Tansey now with a satisfaction that soothed his agitation and made him to appear almost unctuous in his complacency. ‘The Old Man, ke ain’t Oh, no! Not him! There’s two kinds o’ men, he brags to my face. One fights him, an’ the other he breaks. Me, I’m broke!” he laughed queerly. ‘“‘ Broke to harness, I am. Broke an’ all reliable to do what he tells me to the last gasp. Now won’t it be sort of nice, Tan- sey? Won’t it be sort of high up an’ satis- fyin’ to the old man when I bring in his own boy dead, because he told me to?” CHAPTER XI. NO CHILD’S PLAY NOW. HERE were three of them in a cave. T It had been a boy’s dream of pirates and buccaneering that had led David to that rocky cafion eight years before; and it had been the everlasting, undying spirit of boyhood deeply rooted in his heart that had caused Aleck Sheffield to follow the youngster there and throw himself into the pirate play while at the same time he had manfully but good naturedly scoffed at the intensity of the little .fellow’s pretense. The young man apg, the diet eee