Argosy All-Story Weekly, July 7, 1928 — page 60: what you’re looking at

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

_ 200 he made Guido Lomond seem far shorter and more fragile than he really was. The big man’s eyes were wide and staring, and as his head was to- tally bald they made his expression like that of an ill-tempered baby. “And you say you saw him through the window,” remarked Lomond, as though continuing a conversation as he gazed at the hunchback. “ What did he look like, Juan?” “ He was a tall man,” the hunchback answered, his voice almost a whisper. “A stranger, a cowboy, I believe. He wore two guns, and he was ready to use them.” Juan smiled faintly. “ He was startled when he saw the major.” “The major was dead then?” asked Lomond. “ You are sure?” “Quite.” There was something ironical in the hunchback’s half whis- pered tones. “ Lagrew knows I speak the truth.”” He looked at the big man. The latter, his eyes upon the hunch- back’s lips, mumbled as though trying to speak and then nodded his head. “T see,” said Lomend slowly, and his white face did not change expres- sion in the slightest degree. “ Per- haps this stranger’s unexpected visit is fortunate.” His dark eyes gleamed. “Tt might be that he had reason to quarrel with the major. The old gen- tleman had rather a hasty temper— sometimes stich altercations lead to murder, isn’t that true, Juan?” “Ves.” ‘The hunchback nodded and uttered a strange sound that might have been a laugh. ‘ Such things do happen.” “You would remember this man if you saw him again, Juan?” “Juan never forgets a face, Mr. Lo- mond. And should this man be found again, what then?” “Major Marsh had been cruelly murdered. Naturally Sheriff Hagen will be very anxious to arrest the man who committed the crime. You are the major’s trusted servant. It might be that you heard the major and this man quarrel—their voices were loud. ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. ‘You became curious and peered in through the window. You saw this two-gun man choke the major to death with his bare hands, but before you could aid your master the stranger dis- appeared.” Lomond stared intently at the hunchback. ‘Is that not so, Juan?” “It is so.” Juan nodded his big head. “ And so it is I tell the sheriff when we find this man.” “IT am glad you are so observing.” The lawyer glanced at the still figure which lay beside the desk as Solitaire Stevens had found it, but a heavy blan- ket was spread over it now. “I—” The hunchback paused ab- tuptly, and stood listening as there came the clatter of horse’s hoofs out- side the house. The sound drew near- er, and then there came a pounding on the front door. “Perhaps our friend has decided to return,” said Lomond in a whisper. “Open the door, Juan.” The white- faced man’s restless hands disappeared suddenly in the pockets of his long coat. And he stepped to one side of the room out of sight of any one who might be at the door. The hunchback moved toward the door, drew it open, and found himself staring into the worried countenance of a pretty, blond girl. ““T must see Major Marsh at once,” she said, moving into the house before the hunchback could speak. “ Tell him that Helen Shaw is here, please, Juan; it is vitally important.” She moved forward into the room, and then gave a gasp of startled sur- prise as Guido Lomond stepped for- ward. The lawyer bowed. “TI am sorry, Miss Shaw,” he said softly, “ but I am afraid that nothing is vitally interesting to the major any longer.” The girl stared at him, terror in her eyes. She looked like a young and beautiful boy as she stood there, her close-cropped golden hair curling about her face, her slender figure clad in a COPMICLOOOKS (C@