Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 12, 1927 — page 128: what you’re looking at

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

422 to the dusty road, dust clouds leaping into the air and settling again over the gun which had fired its last shot from another world. “Gawd A’mighty!” Gambel muttered from the porch of the gambling: hall. “Vuh got the guts, awright, Hell Bend,” Brant said, now at Jimmie’s side. “ Gawd knows yuh have!” There was a pleased note in his voice. Some one on the porch thrust Gambel aside and came out into the open. It was Miles, his hair rumpled and his clothes showing that the sound of the shots had taken him from his blankets. In one sweep- ing glance he saw what had happened. The still body of Cimarron Jones caused his jaw to drop in amazement. Jimmie walked toward the man. “Hello, Mr. Miles,” he said. “I guess I kinda followed you out o’ the valley!” “You!” Mason gasped unbelievingly. “You! Well—what thuh—by the livin’ Gawd—you!” He ran a hand over his eyes as though endeavoring to remove from them some hallucination which had become etched upon his vision. When he looked again he said: “ Yuh don’t mean tuh tell me this kid is Hell Bend Mason!” “Tf anybody has got doubts about that, Miles,” Brant spoke up, “ he ain’t fired but one shot out’n that gun!” Absolute silence greeted the words and, after a moment, Brant continued: “I want it knowed that Hell Bend an’ me are pards!” he said. ‘“ There’s apt tuh be some new deals around this here town!” Then he slipped his arm through Jim- mie’s and they walked back toward Mul- vey’s. Silence still gripped the town as Jones’s friends went to him and performed their final services. CHAPTER XXV. THE SECOND GENERATION, “F'HE tragic passing of Cimarron Jones had its effect upon the town. It be- came epic. A thousand times Jimmie himself heard it related by men who had witnessed the affair. Cimarron had enjoyed ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. over him added just so much to Jimmie’s fame and the luster thereof, Miles came to him shortly as he sat on the rail fence that made the corral behind Mulvey’s place. He found Brant talking earnestly to the lad and the man scowled a little as Miles appeared. To this, Miles took instant exception. “It’s a good day fer shootin’, Brant!” he snapped. “I never did know yuh, I admit, till they told me how yuh stopped Gambel from cheatin’ Jimmie an’ then Jim- mie told yore name! I ain’t got a hell o’ a lot o’ use fer yuh an’ if it’s gun-play yuh want—I’ll accommodate yuh quick!” “It ain’t!” Brant admitted. “I told Jimmie_I was plumb sorry about that deal { tried to run on you an’ his old man!” Miles disdained to answer, but turned to Jimmie. ‘“ Jimmie,” he said, something of a smile churning his lips into motion, “I can’t git used tuh callin’ yuh that Hell Bend name! Tuh me I guess yuh’ll allus be just a damn nice, quiet kid! But yuh shore salivated a hellion this mornin’ an’ yuh’re goin’ tuh be famous fer it! I wanna talk with yuh— alone!” As he finished he iene suggestively at Brant and the man slipped from the rail, shrugged, and turned away. Over his shoul- der, though, he called to Jimmie: “I guess yuh got sense enough tuh know I’m yore pard!” he said. “Come over tuh my place, Jimmie,” Miles invited. “I shore got heaps tuh palaver about!” Nothing loath, Jimmie crossed the street where, such a short time before, he had met and conquered death. Something of the fame which was to rise from the ugly dust he trod, came to him as men cheered him openly for the fight he had fought. Miles led him through the almost deserted place and into a small room at the back. “This here is my office, Jimmie,’ he said. “I’ve fergot whether yuh smoke er not.” As he spoke he slid a large glass jar containing cigars and tobacco toward the lad. Jimmie rolled a cigarette not too clev- erly. Miles seemed not to miss his awk~ “2 wardness though he gave no direct So | ae a oe Ae and: the eebarrane 0 dence: of having: noticed. it. Se a ee x dhe — eeicbOOk com