Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 7, 1928 — page 92: what you’re looking at

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

82 tance to his left. He was not in the most agreeable of humors anyway. He lay flat on his chest stretched out full length upon the hard surface of a big rock which the warm sun had made decidedly uncomfortable. He raised his head and tried to peer - in the direction of the sound, but he could see nothing, for other large bowl- ders obstructed his view. As the whistling continued, Stevens decided that it could only come from one source, and that was the boy Jim- my. But if that was the case, what the devil was the kid doing here? The puncher rose to his feet and stretched his cramped limbs, for he had remained in the one position for quite some time. If it was Jimmy, then it was up to Solitaire to find the boy and learn what was up. Suiting his actions to his thoughts, the Whistling Waddy leaped down from his perch and made his way cau- tiously toward the sound. He was not inclined to take any chances at the present time, for he was quite sure that by now both the sheriff and the Ace and his gang were on his trail. In fact, the more he thought about it, the more he began to wonder if the whistling might not be a clever trick on some one’s part to decoy him out of hiding. Solitaire moved noiselessly through the brush that grew below the rocks, guided by the continual whistling. At last he-came to the spot where Jimmy was hidden. The boy’s back was to- ward him and Stevens grinned as he crept closer. “Jimmy,” he called softly. The boy turned, startled, then a look of relief passed over his face. “ Gee, Solitaire,” he said, “I was gettin’ worried about yuh.” “ What yuh doin’ here, kid?” “ Th’ Ace an’ his gang are in th’ cafon looking for yuh,” Jimmy an- swered. “I followed ’em, and thought. I'd try and warn yuh by whistlin’ if yuh was around here any place.” ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. “The Ace, eh?” Solitaire looked very thoughtful. “I thought they’d be lookin’ for me. How many of them ave therer”’ “ Just four men,” said Jimmy. ““Sh—here comes somebody now!” Solitaire ducked quickly behind a rock as he caught sight of a man with a handkerchief tied over his face mov- ing cautiously in his direction. Swiftly the Whistling Waddy reached for his guns, then shook his head and released them quickly. As the man came within a few feet of him Stevens leaped, and they both went down amid the brush as the man uttered a startled grunt. Sock! The puncher’s hard right fist came in abrupt contact with the man’s face; it was followed by a left equally hard. The masked man sighed and then lay motionless, completely knocked out. Solitaire pulled the handkerchief away and saw he was staring down into the battered countenance of the half-breed, Ed Jenkins. “One in th’ discard,” murmured Stevens as he got to his feet. As the Whistling Waddy stood up a second masked man appeared. He reached for his gun and a bullet flew past Solitaire’s ear. There was a roar from one of Ste- vens’s two guns, and the man fell for- ward on his face, a bullet in His brain. Solitaire moved to him and removed the improvised mask. As he did so he frowned thoughtfully. The dead man was the quiet individual who had been with the sheriff that morning. Stevens began to whistle very, very softly. He was frankly puzzled. VITl. As the two shots died away in the distance the Ace turned to his com- panion. “Sounds like they found him all right,” he said quietly. “‘ We better go see—yuh circle around tuh th’ left an’ T’ll come around on th’ right.” EOPNICG OOOL< (G { (E@)