Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 7, 1925 — page 115: what you’re looking at

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

THE VALLEY _, Willets, she felt, hardly deserved the dig- nity of a name. level near a small river. The doors. of the 7 sided. When she came to a large whe house at the farther edge of the town, she felt from Grace’s description that Fedce Travis occupied it, and so she rode boldly to the a front porch: dismounted and knocked on the front door. After a short wait ‘she heard footsteps inside. and a thin- faced woman looked out at her. “ The jedge?” she queried, answering Edna's question. “ Well, yes, I reckon he’s here. But he left oa he wasn’t to be disturbed early. You’d better go along an’ come back after a while. no early riser.” Edna smiled. “ It is early, isn’t it?” she said. “T hadn’t But won’t you tell him — thought of that. that I won’ E take but ; a minute of his time?” “Huh. Well, VI ‘see. z The woman vanished, the door eee So deep was the silence outside that Edna could hear the woman’s footsteps as she — walked through the house. The sound died away, and the silence was complete. There followed a five minute interval in ‘which Edna stood scanning the featureless country surrounding the town. She was on © the point of deciding that the thin-faced woman had no intention of waking Judge Travis when she heard sound from within. The sound was that of a footstep on a bare floor. It was heavy. Edna thought of a boot heel. And she somehow got the impression that the owner of the boots was irritated. But she wasn’t dane at that. She was resolved that justice must be done, and she faced the door eagerly. 7 The door opened and a man’s head ap- peared. The hair was tousled; the man’s eyes were blinking, and they held an ex- pression of irritation, just as Edna expected. OF what she had intended to sa It was a collection of | shanties and stores huddled together on a~ The door creaked, opened a trifle, The jedge ain’t — thrown her into confusion, ; in disguising her feelings. ing it. THE STARS. But she stood there speechless, dazed, be- wildered, her brain reeling with amazement ‘as the man spoke brusquely: stores were closed when she rode down. the dusty street; there was no one in sight. A dog barked at her sharply and then sub-— “Pm Judge Travis. you?” For the man, ae his ciigied hair and his blinking eyes, and the fact that he was What can I do for in Willets when she thought he was sleeping at a certain cabin miles eastward, was the a haired man whom Naylor had addressed as “‘ chief ”’! —_—_—_- CHAPTER AX. | A RUN: AWAY TON GUE. ES A PENDLETON had not acquired _ the slightly arrogant manner which had antagonized Nevins without gain- ing in addition the ability to control her emotions. Therefore, although the rev- elation of the red haired man’s identity had she succeeded - Her wide-eyed - mazement foe self- were now gleaming with bold admiration. _ He ran a hand through his hair, smooth- And he smiled engagingly. “Vain,” was Edna’s thought. “T am Judge Travis,” he said. can I do for you?” Although, since Edna had that she must go ahead just as i she had no knowledge of his real character. She must dissemble, she must not let him sus- pect that she knew of his scheme to rob -and murder several of the inhabitants of the section. “YT am Edna Pendleton, of the Circle Dot,” she said quietly, although inwardly she was yearning to tell him that she was aware of his despicable character, and that she hated him because of the Tights in his eyes: at that Jninute—a light which | ex- She had been conning over the words of — : her opening sentence, and she knew just Bae tae talk to you ‘about Nellie Porter.” overheard ‘Travis and Naylor talking, she was aware — that she could hope for no assistance from the man who stood before her, she felt com 55 y to the judge. == - deprecation, and her ‘dis ismay_ seemed mere- — _ ly natural feminine shyness. to Judge Travis, whose eyes were no longer blinking, but “ What 7 icbooks (Ee)