Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 18, 1928 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

808 I reckon I’ve made it clear that you boys is goin’ to ride on to your ranches—with no trouble.” Under the guns of Sheriff Reynolds, Dan Naylor slouched out sullenly, got on his horse, and started away toward the Lazy S. A few minutes later, with just as poor grace, Blackie Sanderson loped away to- ward the Wagon Wheel. Sheriff Reynolds was no man to fool with. He stood there until the form of the second rider was quickly lost in the dark- ness. Then he reéntered Schmaltz’s saloon and called for a whisky. “The time to break up these shootin’ matches is when they start,” he announced, “or just a leetle before. Them hombres was too full o’ red-eye to hold thar heads, an’ it’s been lookin’ like trouble around these parts for some time. I ain’t no re- formin’ sheriff, an’ the rest o’ you punchers can drink yore skins full if you want to. Them other two’ll cool off ‘fore they’ve loped very far, an’ I reckon when they wake. up with headaches to-morrer they’ll forgit mostly about this matter to-night.” The presence of Sheriff Reynolds was somewhat of a dampener to the spirits of the rival factions in Schmaltz’s saloon. The men remained for the better part of an hour, and then, under the watchful eye of Reynolds, the Lazy S group slouched out to their horses and started toward their out- fit. A few minutes later the Wagon Wheel hands made their departure. Billy Perkins, the youthful cow hand, galloped along with his comrades until he came to a group of tall trees which marked the entrance of the roadway to the Bar X ranch house, where he turned in to de- liver the letters for Dunstan that had been given him by Davy Dibble. He delivered them to the Jap servant, then he galloped on alone to the Wagon Wheel. The bedroom window of old Jerry Steele was dark, but Billy Perkins believed that an infrequent letter from Blue Steel was sufficient warrant for waking up his boss. : | Also, in his youthful way, he wanted to be the first to tell his employer of the tense scene in the saloon. | now, Billy, an’—” ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. He hallooed gently up to the bedroom window, and old Jerry Steele stuck out his gray head and learned the cause of the late summons. He invited Billy in, and his fingers trem- bled as he tore open the envelope which bore the handwriting of his son. His eyes rested anxiously on the brief letter, and then a glad light sprang into them. ‘““Some real news, Billy,” he announced. ‘“ Ballou’s comin’ home. By golly—my boy is comin’ home!” : The old man’s blue eyes sparkled. “ He is a Steele all right,” he announced proud- ly. “ He says he’s heard some vague ru- mors that they’ve been ridin’ me pretty hard, an’ after all this promiscuous roamin’ around he feels that his place is here now. That’s a Steele for you, Billy, all the time. Well, we'll give the boy a royal. welcome.” ‘We sure will,” answered Perkins, who was somewhat of a worshiper of the wan- dering Blue Stecl. “ We sure will.” “ Billy,” said old Steele, crossing to a cupboard, “I ain’t any snooper, but I know the boys in my outfit that’s always drinkin’ an’ hellin’ around. You ain’t one of ’em. But there’s a time an’ place for everything; an’ I reckon that on the head of this here news I’m goin’ to set up a little drink for the both of us. Golly—Bal- lou’s startin’ to ride home to-morrer! I kin hardly believe it.” While he sipped his drink with Billy, the latter related to his boss the impending trouble that had been broken up by the timely appearance of Sheriff Reynolds. “ Well, ?’'m glad that Blackie Sanderson rammed that down their throats about poi- sonin’ the water,” said the old fire-eater. “That ‘Il leastwise show ’em they can’t come no shenanigan on us—that we know all about their devilments. “Now, when you git over to the bunk house, Billy, you might tell Blackie an’ Slim Carlin to keep a little more watch on things around here to-night. I reckon there’s plenty o’ trouble. breedin’. “The men that want to lose a little sleep to-night by watchin’ about can have a full day off in town to-morrer. Yes, sir, I kinda smell trouble, an’ I’d get right over there Gomicbooks: