Argosy All-Story Weekly, December 4, 1926 — page 136: what you’re looking at

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

446 Grannas whistled. The two Simpsons emitted suppressed oaths. And although she knew nothing of what the palaver was about, the squaw emitted a grunt—the same kind of grunt that her tremendous diaphragm had given vent to before, the grunt of a maddened she-bear. “Vou say the Injun was in the act of rustlin’ a hoss, a Morrel hoss, branded as same?” Simpson the Elder asked. “Tf that’s so, they’s somethin’ powerful queer,” Larabee said. ‘“ Why in tarnation didn’t the boy tell us that in the first place?” “ Because he wanted to save his dad from what he thought would be disgrace,” the Chief announced. “You disgraced!’”? Grannas objected. “ What-all’s got into you, Chief? You're sure talkin’ a pretty daft line of talk.” “ Men,” the Chief said quietly, “I have a confession to make—a confession which will undo the work I’ve done for the past thirty years. But I want to make it in front of all my deputies—the boys who have rode over desert and mesa with me for all the days I’ve been Chief. “ And to that end, I’d admire for three or four of you to ride out and gather in the boys I have spread around the range in the hunt for Ladley. There’s no more need of their trailin’ for that killer. My son will get him.” He said this with an air of proud assurance. “ Go out and call ’em all back—tell ’em their Chief wants for to meet ’em at Trade Rat Gulch in the ole sheep-ranch. You'll find some on the other side of the Big Mesa, some down Desolation Flats way, some combin’ the arroyos over by Soda Moun- tain. “ Order ’em all to congregate here. Until they come, Larabee, I’m your prisoner.” Larabee was standing facing the Chief, an incredulous and startled look on his face. ‘“T’d admire to ask one question, Chief,” he said. ‘‘ Before the Simpsons and Gran- nas here ride out to gather in your depu- ties.” : The Chief looked at him, waiting. “Was that thar brone which the Papago hoss-thief was rustlin’, was it a calico?” «se It was.”’ - : - = [ti * ae a Ss = ane ww ° x - ‘ : 7 {a ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. Larabee’s eyes narrowed. The bearded, grizzled old rancher challenged the gaunt old sheriff with a level, unwinking stare. Then quietly he said: “‘T reckon it was a lame calico, Chief?” “It was.” Larabee’s hard wrinkled mouth was set like a steel trap. For a moment more he gazed out of narrowed eyes at the man who had for thirty years been their leader in many man-hunts and many lynchings. Then the said without turning: ‘“ You two Simpsons and Grannas ride out and gather in the posses, like the Chief ordered. Until you come back here I’ll keep him prisoner.” — CHAPTER XXVI. THIRST THREATENS THE GUNMAN. ONCHA knew well enough that she had a desperate task before her. If she had not already shown her hand to Gentle Ladley it was conceivable that she could have played a very simple trick on him. She could pretend that she was in love with him. Much could be gained by that. But in his first visit to her shack Concha had prevented him from killing Harry Mor- rel; she had actually threatened him with a gun. But she was helped in her game by a basic trait of Ladley’s character. He was a criminal type, true to form in many ways. As I have pointed out, he was a man of inordinate conceit, a trait common to criminals. It has been affirmed by psychologists that the trait that makes a man commit a crime in the first place is in many cases, his conceit. In a word, it was easy for Ladley to be- lieve that she was in love with him. It is easy for any man to believe a girl is in love with him, when she tells him so. His conceit blinded him. The fact that she had fought him off once before at the point of a gun was belittled when he re- flected that she could not bear to see a wounded man shot to death. It was too horrible for any woman to stand. On his second visit she had fled from him » JOOKS com)