Argosy All-Story Weekly, November 12, 1927 — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

498 ference if I didn’t,” grunted Daggett. “ You seem to be runnin’ things to suit your- self. Don’t forget, though, that them laughs best, who laughs last.” An apt retort sprang to Mickey’s lips, but he choked it back. After all, the sheriff was a power here, and there was small sense in increasing his already active enmity. So, instead of answering, he busied him- self in drawing back IIsa’s chair and assist- ing her up from the table. . As they rose, the head of Luigi, the ac- companist, lifted, too, from his crouching arms, and he stared again shiveringly at the three black cards still lying on the table. Then his eye caught sight of the gleam- ing dagger, and shifted quickly to the dark head of Mickey as he escorted the girl across the room. He glanced from it back once more to the king of spades, and an inspiration seized him. Snatching up the stiletto, he sprang to his feet, and flung himself at Mickey. “ You fool!’ he shouted. “ You're as dark as I am, and that king of spades was meant for you, not me!” CHAPTER V. SOMETHING FOR HIS GRANDCHILDREN. LIM, regarding Luigi as no_ longer dangerous, had strolled away to watch one of the card games. Mickey, en- grossed with Ilsa, was paying no heed to anything else. The sheriff, hunched down in his chair and nursing his pique, could not have got to his feet in time to interfere even if he wanted to. So there seemed nothing to balk the fel- low’s vindictive attack, as with dagger up- raised he sprang across the floor to get Mickey. The two or three persons in his path dodged aside, involuntarily giving right of way to the menacing figure. But the gypsy girl, Natushka, had seen Luigi snatch up the stiletto from the table; and realizing his purpose as he lunged for- ward, she voiced a quick cry of warning. “ Gorgio!” she screamed. “ Look out! Behind you!” ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. Mickey whirled like a flash—just in time to clutch Luigi by the wrist and ward aside the descending stroke which otherwise would have been planted between his shoul- der blades. But unfortunately Natushka did not content herself with merely apprising him of his peril. At the same time she screamed she seized a heavy bottle standing on the table and flung it with all her force. With a woman’s proverbial aim she failed to hit Luigi, at whom she had thrown it, and got Mickey instead. It caught him a glancing blow on the side of the head just as he grasped his assailant’s arm—not enough to knock him out, but sufficient to daze him momentarily and throw him off his balance. He went down under it, and still main- taining his grip on Luigi’s wrist, dragged him along. They hit the floor with a crash, Luigi on top; and what little breath remained in Mickey’s body was knocked out of him by the impact. Faint and dizzy, he felt his muscles re- laxing, yet with the last vestige of his strength he held his clutch on the arm that held the dagger. Luigi strove desperately to wrest it free, So as to give a coup de grace; then finding his efforts unavailing, began trying to bend Mickey’s arm inward and drive the point of the stiletto into his throat. Nearer and nearer it came until it was not more than an inch away from his jugu- lar vein. Mickey’s power of resistance was practically gone. He saw the dark face of his adversary above him light up with tri- umph. Around him he saw as through a haze the ring of crowding spectators. No use to look for any assistance from them. Both men were strangers to them; there was only the vaguest idea as to what the trouble was about. No one felt called upon to interfere. On the other hand, self-appoint- ed fugelmen were holding back Slim and Natushka, and shouting noisily: “Let them fight it out! Let them fight it out!” ? The bloody spirit of the old Roman CORMIClOOKS (F@)