Argosy All-Story Weekly, July 11, 1925 — page 86: what you’re looking at

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

240 word; had trampled on the ark of decent sifence { in his holy of holies. Then his voice | came in slow words of even measure pitched rs to an absolute monotone of mortal affront. | ‘ T wasn’t in ther war,” he said, “ because endurin’ of thet time I was in ther peniten- shery.” She saw that the hurt of the question struck him to the quick of his feeling, but she saw, too, that his sense of affront did not extend to her; that he absolved her of any but an innocent connection with it. She came closer and took both his tightly shut hands in her own. “Listen, Mr. ‘the broke out tumultuously. ‘ I don’t need -to know anything about that. I only re- peated the question because I thought you. ought to know. As far as that goes I might be in the penitentiary myself right now if it weren’t for you.” “fF reckon,” he said shortly, “ thet who- ever told ye ter ask me thet question hed a rather fer you ter do hit then him. Hit’s a matter I don’t suffer men ter tattle erbout overmuch. Hit’s a matter thet’ll be sottled some good day—an’ when hit’s sottled, either me or Lesher will stretch dead.” “Lesher!” she exclaimed wrathfully, “So that was one of his little stunts, too, was it?” : She let go of his hands. They had relaxed = out of their tightness now, and the man : drew back a step and stood with the stiff 2 preoccupation of eyes looking into a past of evil memories. = “ Afore we goes any further,” said Wade Zz slowly, “let’s you an’ me thrash this thing : out—an’ then, ef we aims ter be friends, = don’t let’s neither of us ever talk erbout aS hit no more.” _ ~~ We don’t have to thresh~it out, Wade. = I don’t need any explanations from you.” 2 3 “None the less, thar’s some two-three = sae ‘people in ther world I wants ter stand _-unslurred afore,” he declared grimly. “ An’ as you're one of ’em.” os a a course,” she said, “ if you feel that : ee a special session of ther feet: ig down hyar one time ter clean up eS ness,” said the man. “ They pa Man-of-the-mountains,” Se ON Se eee == ‘ eS we ee aa ¥ —" - se ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. from down below—an’ some siv’ral news- paper scribblers. Lesher Skidmore hed done pledged hisself ter keep ther old feud grievances outen ther matter—an’ us Mur- rels j’ined with him fer a peaceful term of cote. We ‘lowed hit would look seemly afore ther world an’ hit wouldn’t do us no master harm hyar at home. “Then Lesher, keepin’ well outen sight hisself, turned round an’ got me indicted fer his brother’s death—albeit thet killin’ come erbout in open battle y’ars back—an’ they convicted me. They ‘lowed they wanted ter make a sample of somebody thet wasn’t jest small fry.” He paused, and his eyes glittered. “Thar was still one way I mout hev saved myself. Ther Murrells was ready ter bust down ther jail house an’ take me away from Lesher’s high sheriff. They craved ter blast up ther settin’ of ther cote with gunpowder an’ fer me ter take leg-bail back in ther hills. But stid of doin’ thet, I sent fer Lesher an’ he come ter see me thar in ther jail-house.” He paused, and then he went on again: “Lesher, he swore he hedn’t tuck no part in ther business, an’ I knowed he lied an’ told him so. Ther town was full of Murrells armed with rifle-guns an’ spittin’ fire talk. They was waitin’ fer ther word from me ter fo’ce ther jail-house, an’ in them days thar warn’t no backsliders amongst ’em. But I knowed hit would mean a lavish of dead men-—~-an’ I concluded thet hit wouldn’t do. “Settin’ thar in ther jail-house, Lesher an’ me made a compact. I agreed ter go down thar ter Frankfort-town an’ sulter in ther penitenshery fer ther rise of two God A’mighty long y’ars. Seemed like hit was more Christian then ter buy my freedom with a lot of blood. Lesher pledged hisself ter keep ther truce hyar at home—an’ we both tuck solemn oath that whensoever ther day come round thet him an’ me could fight out our own grievance ter ther plumb death without draggin’ in our kith an’ kin we’d do hit. “ T’m still waitin’.fer thet day ter come— an’ I’m waitin’ with a fever in me. Lesher, he’s seekin’ ter git me kilt some other fashion afore hit comes. Leastways, thet’ s ther seemin’ of hit.” : 5s A. 7 <. tae <>. hin > >. <p " e = ~~ > - | on ) A J fs : ~ J “ se poe 2 ‘