Argosy All-Story Weekly, May 5, 1928 — page 17: what you’re looking at

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

A HARD-BOILED TENDERFOOT. But she always came back. Modern of moderns as she was, there was still in her make-up those elements as her father’s daughter, which responded to the primitive—the lure of the open spaces—the call of a clear sky—the wind in one’s face—the surge and quiv- er of a speeding mount beneath one, rather than the swifter though less ro- mantic medium of hurtling metal pro- pelled by steam or gas. Consequently as she watched the progress of her father and Mr. Rich- ard Nutting toward the house, she found herself intrigued as well as amused. Mr. Nutting was certainly an odd looking object in the raiment in which he had elected to arrive. Ina meastire he reminded her of a movie hero in a picture dealing with the old West. He must have gathered his habili- ments in the period section of some up-to-date costuming house, she imag- ined, with a quizzical grin still on her red mouth. Yet—on the other hand, he had. stood up to Bear Paw Rawlins —had struck him in the face. And Bear Paw had meant to kill him. The thing had still glared in his eyes as she had stopped the car at the scene of bat- tle. And she did not doubt. Where- fore she climbed out of her car and walked to where Mr. Nutting’s luggage was piled beside the one-ton truck. And having inspected it to her satis- faction and further amazement, she beckoned Paragonah Charley to her. “Just who is this world’s champion in the trick clothes?” she inquired. “Reckon you know as much as we do, Miss Beryl,” Paragonah grinned. “He’s shore a funny hombre as to looks. But—lI’ll tell the world he’s a bobcat with his claws.” “Ves.” Beryl Brewster nodded. “I noted the fact. Who started the ruckus?” “ Well—Bear Paw struck the fust blow,” Paragonah told her. “ And from what I could see while I was driving to get here before the kill- 583 ing, Mr. Nutting struck most of the rest—and how!” Jed Brewster’s daugh- ter laughed. Her glance turned to where Bear Paw even then was making his way to his house. “ What really happened, Charley?” Boy and girl looked into one an- other’s eyes. Of all the Bar-Bee wad- dies, this youngster from southern Utah was Beryl’s favorite. Without in the least seeking to disguise the fact, he was her willing and unassuming slave. “ Why,’ he said after a moment, “ I reckon it wasn’t nuthin’ much, Miss Beryl, except thet Bear Paw didn’t seem ter take a shine to this jasper.” Brief- ly, he told her what had occurred. * Of co’se, Bear Paw didn’t need to have picked a fight,” he said at the finish. ‘““An’ maybe he shouldn’t have called him a nut—though him sayin’ his name was Nutting, an’ comin’ here in thet tin can, all rigged out the way he is, I dunno as | could say it wasn’t natural enough. On’y he shore hadn’t oughter throwed his gun in the dirt. An’ he didn’t need to have tried to hit him, even ef he didn’t knuckle under, an’— his tryin’ to git his gun right thar at the last shore tuk us all by surprise.” “Can’t ride and can’t throw a rope and can’t use a gun,’ Miss Brewster checked Mr. Nutting’s shortcomings and narrowed her long-lashed lids. ‘“ But apparently he plays golf and ten- nis and the mandolin. And that’s a very fine English saddle, Charley.” “'Yes’m.” Charley nodded. “ Ef you say so, I reckon it is. I’d shore hate to ride it myse’f. But lookin’ at it thet way, he would seem to be en- dowed with a few accomplishments, An’ [ll tell the world of man he shore kin use his fists.” “T believe you and I imagine Bear Paw will support the statement. But I wouldn’t advise you to ask him to do so.” Beryl Brewster’s red lips quirked. “Oh”—once more Paragonah grinned—*“ I ain’t aimin’ to discuss the Nut with Bear Paw none whatever.” COMIC OOO KS (©)