Argosy All-Story Weekly, May 5, 1928 — page 18: what you’re looking at

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

584 “The Nut, eh? So you’ve named him?’ Miss Brewster laughed. “ Bear Paw named him,” Paragonah said. “ An’ ef your daddy should hap- pen to keep him around here, I reckon the name will stick.” “ Well—as to dad’s keeping him on, [ imagine that’s as good as settled,” old Jed’s daughter declared. “ You see, he and Larry Barr were just the same as Damon and Pythias, and anything Mr. Barr could ask him to do, dad would manage if it took a leg. So I think we may assume that—the Nut—will be with us for a time, at least.” “Yes'm, -Charley agreed: “I’ve understood your daddy an’ Mistah Barr parted friends before Mistah Barr went back East. But speakin’ of the Nut— even ef we do call him thet, we’re goin’ ter know he ain’t yella. He stood up to Bear Paw all right.” “Vellow,’”’ Miss Brewster echoed with a speculative intonation. “No, T hardly believe one would call him yel- low, Charley. I think [ll go up to the house and pump dad about him. [ma bit curious, I confess, and Mr. Barr’s letter should tell us zo he is, at least. Put my car away, will you?” “Yes’m,” Paragonah promised. And as Beryl made her way toward the house he climbed into the roadster, kicked the starter and drove the ma- chine into a rock-built garage. Joe Maddelena grinned as Charley rejoined the still waiting group on the bunk house porch. Paragonah’s wor- ship of the lithe blond beauty who queened it at the Bar-Bee was no hid- den secret, and Joe followed his grin with words: “You wanta watch thet mail order waddy, Paragonah. You wanta watch him clost. I been tryin’ ter place him ever sence I saw him, an’ I’ve finally sized him up as one of these here sheiks. You know they run strong with the ladies. ’Co’se, ef you was to git vou some fancy clothes, or ef you was to go down heah to Glenwood an’ larn how ter play go’ i—” ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. “ Aw, shet up!” Paragonah told him. A flush crept into his range-tanned cheeks. His eyes turned instinctively in the direction of the ranch house and he added: “ Or ef you wanta talk about the Nut, why try it on him? Here he comes.” There was ocular proof of the fact. Mr. Richard Nutting was just emerg- ing from the shadow of the row of box elders which flanked the ranch house, and directing his steps toward the watching group. His progress was un- marked by haste. But equally it was unmarked by any hesitation. Eventu- ally he reached the porch of the bunk house and lowered himself to a seat on its edge. “Well, gentlemen, it appears that I am to become a member of your happy family for a time at least,” he in- formed them, smiling. “ Now, I won- der if one of you would be good enough to show me where [ can stow my dunnage, and let me know if there is any spot where I might stable this mechanical masterpiece ?” “You can bunk with me ef you like,” Paragonah Charley impulsively invited. “ Or you can bunk by yourse’f. We've got six rooms, an’ there’s on’y seven of us to split em, Bear Paw pre- ferrin’ to live with his wife. The rest of us hev doubled up, so you can take yore choice. But ef you’d like—” “Why, I think I would,” said Mr. Nutting. “I suspect that I'll need a lot of coaching before I even begin to fit into your way of life. And—TI have not made a very good start, so far.” A faint smile twitched at his lips and - was mirrored in his gray eyes. “ Oh, you ain’t done so bad,” Swede Anderson told him. “Ef you’d only shuck them clothes, you’d seem almos’ human, I suspect.” “ An’ ef you wouldn’t use so much language,” Joe Maddelena suggested. “Ef you don’t mind my askin’, what’s the idee of bringin’ along a brace of rifles ef you don’ know how ter shoot ?” CEOPNICLOOKS (F@)