Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 4, 1925 — page 83: what you’re looking at

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

IN THE EVENT OF Lederer from his balance, so that he stag- gered for a moment and stood still, fixing her with his wrath. ‘“ Those are lies!” he cried. ‘Ail lies! And if you think to take that horse back to him to-day, you’re mistaken. Thunder- bolt belongs to this ranch—” “ And one third of this ranch belongs to me!” she cried. “We ain’t givin’ away no_ horses, though,” growled Farley suddenly. ‘ You, Hazel, vou’d best lcave affairs like this to Cliff an’ me. Cliff was a fool to play for a warrant after makin’ the break he did last night. But Thunderbolt, she stays here.”” “And I say she doesn’t!” Hazel de- clared. She stepped backward so that with one hand she could touch the glistening neck of the great red mare, and Thunder- bolt, as though conscious that they dis- cussed her, twisted her head toward the girl. “You ain't got nothin’ to say about it!”’ blurted Lederer. ‘“ T have!’ she cried. ‘‘ I have, because I’m the only one of the ranch that can ride this horse! That makes her mine, doesn't it? She's mine, and I give her to Mr. Cosgrove!” ‘“Oh, you do?” sneered her uncle. ‘ You give her to Cosgrove because now that she’s broke to the saddle, you’re the only one who can ride her?” He laughed shrewdly. “ Shucks, girl, don’t you suppose I know horses? “There ain't nobody but what oan ride that mare now.” At this rebuff she started back a moment, her confidence dashed. Then, with eyes blazing, she swept to the attack again. “All right!” she cried. ‘ Ride her!” She stepped away from Thunderbolt’g head. Farley grunted. ‘‘ Hmph,” he said. ley bluff, all right. the stable, Cliff.” He gave his order with absolute con- fidence in his diagnosis. Thunderbolt was a broken horse. He regretted it, for he knew her rodeo worth as an outlaw, but he wasn’t going to let his niece get away with “You got the Far- Ride that horse into DEATH. 878 tnis sheer bluff whereby she sought to cheat him. Lederer, catching his confidence, strode to Thunderbolt with a smile of self assur- ance. With a chuckle he emphasized the fact that the red mare quietly permitted him to mount, and the further fact that. When he was in the saddle, Thunderbolt stood submissively awaiting his direction brought forth from him a triumphant com- ment upon Hazel’s boast. ‘““So vo're the only one that can ride her!” he gloated, and drawing up the reins sharply, determined to dash to the stables in a proud gallop. It was in that moment that catastrophe overtook him. Thunderbolt, at the sharp touch of the bit against her bars, was trans- formed from a peaceful and splendid horse into a raging, and magnificent demon. They saw a swirl of dust, a twisting, beautiful red body that writhed between earth and air like some monster of the firma- ment, And they saw a limp body that, after a series of sickening jolts, sailed forth from the vortex of that tumult like a sack of potatoes and landed with a thud in the dust at their feet. This accomplished, Thunderbolt placidly trotted back to a place at Hazel’s side, and stood there, awaiting her good pleasure. Hazel gazed down upon the fallen and disillusioned man for a moment with eyes aire with contempt, then, without a word, she turned to the complacent Thunderbolt, Stroked her velvet nose with a quick touch of her hand, whispered some word to her and deftly mounted to the saddle. “When you can send me a man who can ride her back,” she cried to Farley, who stood, thunderstruck, “then Ill talk ovec who has a right to this horse. ‘Till then she’s mine! And while she’s mine she will stay in the keeping of the only man who can control her!” She gathered the reins and set Thunder- bolt to a gallop which swept her clattering around the house and out of sight. Farley, standing aghast where she had left him. and T.ederer, half stunned upon the ground, heard the departing rattle of Thunder- bolt’s hoofs. After that sound was merged An GIOok