Argosy All-Story Weekly, December 4, 1926 — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

uh SA 4 Pee eu ar ee ee SLA Ba Lf * + we) ' yt Ay eu) 330 mittally. ‘‘ You aren’t ever safe on the des- ert, boy,” he said. “ There’s thirst and poison water and sandstorms always trailing you. The desert lies in wait with its great size, and its cruelity, ready to pounce. ‘And there’re men, too, who aren’t any too safe. You aren’t the only murderer on the desert, Joe. There’re others hiding out here, and claim jumpers, and cache thieves. Then there’re a lot of lazy loafers like my- self, desert rats, prospecting, wandering, working when they have to. Lazy, did I say? Not so lazy, because it’s work just to keep alive day after day out here. “ And not so many of them, either, like I said, or maybe it doesn’t seem like many, because the desert is so big. Anyway, you will go days and days without seeing a soul. And those days, Joe, I guess those are the best days.” He was silent for a moment, watching the first stars defy the deepening blue of the sky. Then, “ Which way will it be, Joe?” he demanded brusquely. “ South to the railroad, or the long trail ahead?” “T’ll go wit’ you,” the boy decided, “ if you got enough grub.” “ Guess that’s a wise answer, buddy. The weather south of here might be blowy. You see, that Blackie Vari. had a gang, and that gang’s watching for you right now. Not a ladylike crew, either. I had a tussle with them over a gold claim near Rhyolite four or five years ago. “ Seven in the gang then—Blackie, Pete and Squint, all. brothers, and four sons whose names I forget. One of the boys— anyway I had to break him in two.” Star- ley made a motion with his huge hands, like wringing a cloth. “Look!” He peeled the flannel shirt back from his shoulder. Great ridges of muscle showed, and deep in them a livid scar. “ From behind, the boy shot. Nerv- ous, I guess, because he got me there, and in my leg. That’s all. “ Then I had to get him before he did any more harm. Since then I’ve been dodging the Vari gang on dark nights, and they’ve been dodging me on bright days. Say, you sure Blackie’s dead?” Joe Budhouser grimaced. “ Sure?” he said. ‘Too damn sure. I held the gun ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. to him like this ’’—he passed his hand mid- way up his thorax—‘ an’ pulled the trigger. He jus’ slumped down.” The boy’s little blue eyes shut as if to keep out the sight. ““ Six-shooter?” “ Yes, I think so.” “ That ’d do it,” agreed the desert man. “Too bad. I always thought Blackie and I were to have another tussle or two, Well, his gang will be out looking for you, and Heaven help you if they find you.” He leaned forward and knocked the ashes out of his pipe on the hobnails of his heel. ‘“‘ Well, good night, Joe. Wrap tHe blanket tight around you; the air’s coming down from the mountains quite chilly. Get a good sleep. ? ‘To-morrow we’re hitting the long, hot trail around the Slate Range to Panamint Valley. That trail ‘ll either make you or break you, Joe.” He was silent for a mo- ment, then added sleepily: ‘“‘ We’ll have to stop at the store in Quartz City for more chuck on the way. Good night, Joe.” “Good night.” The answer came very respectfully out of the darkness. Little Joe Budhouser was thinking deeply about the huge, bronze desert man who had befriended him with- out cause, . Joe’s small soul didn’t have room in it for real gratitude, but something similar stirred him. Gradually he wormed his way across the sand until he was very close to Jerome Starley’s big body. There he slept. CHAPTER IV. DOWN. . UARTZ CITY was a_ desperate place. From high up on the moun- tainside it peered out over Pana- mint Valley and the desert. Isolated by miles of withering sand and sage, it felt its independence and asserted it. Reckless, brutal, immune to the softer influences of civilization, the little mining town knew only one law—that of the gun or fist. There was a single main street cut into the crumbling granite of the mountain. At one end strutted the giant quartz crusher which gave the settlement its only excuse COMICLDOOKS (E@)