Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 28, 1928 — page 110: what you’re looking at

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

540 Oh, no; that will come later. But to- night I preferred to humble her pride and give her heart a twist. Already it is reported at the castle that the man she loves has jilted her and eloped with his old sweetheart.” “Just let me have one hand loose and a chance to get at you!” begged Norman. “ One hand is all I ask.” Da Silva laughed. “Oh, no—that would be giving you a chance; and [ have no purpose of doing anything like that. Our clever lhit- tle plan gives you no chance; for, be- lieving that you two have eloped, no one will look for you. “Give you a chance? Oh, no, Mr. Rich. All 1 seek to-night is revenge. Kick me in the stomach, will vou? Take that, you dog!” And doubling his fist, he drove it again and again into the helpless man’s body, until Norman was writhing im agony. Desisting at last, Da Silva got out of the car and stood beside it, laughing. His companion had already alighted and had moved a little distance away. “ And now, friend Rich, | am going to give you and the lady an experience few enjoy, and from which none ever return to tell about—a four-hundred- foot dive off this famed White Horse cliff.” “Vou fiend!’ gasped Norman through his twisted lips. “ You would not dare!” “Oh, yes, I would. Watch me.” With malevolent cruelty and keeping up a running fire of satiric comment, he went about his preparations with maddening slowness. First he bound Gladys and Norman tightly to the car. Then he started up the engine and let it run tantalizingly for several minutes. Finally he put the car into motion, and, standing on the running board, drove it forward, but stopped just at the edge of the precipice and, throwing the mechanism into reverse, backed away. ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. This he repeated several times. But at last he stepped from the running board and let the car go on. It poised for a second on the brink, then lurched forward. There was a sickening swoop through the air. Crash! CHAPTER XVI. FROM BAD ‘TO WORSE. N the afternoon following Nor- man Rich’s abduction, while weary searchers straggled in, one after another, only to report a fruitless quest, and Molly and Blair grew steadily more depressed and heartsick over the outlook, Los Chicos County flamed out from end to end with great yellow and black posters. At every crossroads settlement one encountered them; in front of all the little country post offices; on telegraph poles; plastered against the rocks. The Salem printer had kept his word and billed the territory as for a circus. And before every poster was gath- ered a knot of citizens, reading the statements of the manifesto and dis- cussing its various allegations. It ran as follows: GRAFT! ROBBERY! MURDER! People of Los Chicos County, Attention! Do you know that the Irrigation System for which you voted is already a failure? Your County Commissioners in se- cret session have so changed the di- mensions of the dam now building across Hairpin Cafion that it will never supply a drop of water to Los Chicos County soil. - Also in secret session they have con- tracted to spend your money for a pumping plant inadequate and totally useless so far as the needs of Los Chicos County are concerned. The only area which can possibly be benefitted by this dam and pumping plant is the narrow plateau on the Bridger County side of the cafion. (EO) VNOO/KS AUUNG (C@