Argosy and Railroad Man's Magazine, Vol. 107 No. 3 — page 155: what you’re looking at

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

eo? eo COLD STEELE. be arrested. You killed Jim Dent after cleaning him out at cards and then made my father believe he was guilty of the crime. “All I fear is that the court will hang you, instead of sending you up for life; that would be too good for you; I want your crooked souls to die a thousand deaths within stone walls before you die in body. The game’s up, I say. I’ve Suarez’s depo- sition, and I’ve the man, who was the boy looking in that back door there that day thirty years ago, and saw you shoot Dent, and he’ll go on the stand against you.” A stillness so profound that one could hear the tiny insects hovering about the - lamps succeeded this statement. If words had npt been enough, Weir’s cold, harsh face would have removed the two men’s last hope, for on it was not a single trace of relenting. A stone could have been no flintier. : “* Well?” Vorse inquired softly. His arched, bony nose appeared thinner and more hawklike. His lips were com- pressed in a white, scornful smile, while his eyelids now drooped until but stits of light showed from the orbs. “And you may be interested to know Burkhardt and some of the Mexicans he hired are now locked up in jail; the rest, or nearly all, are dead,” Weir continued, with slow distinctness. “‘ Your little scheme to blow up the dam and burn the camp failed. We caught Burkhardt at the spot, leading the gang. “Your plot to make the workmen drunk and leave the dam unprotected worked well enough so far as that part was concerned, but a keg of powder dropped on your bunch of imported bandits stopped the main show. And we have Burkhardt! You gen- tlemen aze going to join him in the jail, where we shall give you all the care and attention. you deserve.” Vorse turned his head about toward Sor- enson. “Do you hear?” he asked. ‘‘ Madden, you’ve too much sense to be- lieve all this trumped-up libel!” Sorenson exclaimed furiously. “ About us, respected leaders of this town! Arrest the black- guard!” . 10 Arcosy 497 Even facing assured proof of his com- plicity and guilt, the banker still believed in the power of his wealth and influence, in his ability to browbeat opponents, to command the man he had elected to office, to dominate and ruthlessly crush by sheer will-power all resistance, as he had done . for years. ‘“‘T take no orders from you,” the sher- iff replied. “Well, I suppose I can empty the till and lock the safe before going?” Vorse questioned. . ‘““No. Keep in front of the bar where you are,” the sheriff commanded. ‘‘ And have everything stolen.’’ “Your barkeeper will be back presently. He will look after things for you.” “You say Burkhardt is locked up?” ce Yes.” “That will hurt his pride,” Vorse laughed. ‘He always swore that no one should put him behind bars. He wouldn’t have minded so much finishing in a gun- fight, but to serve a term in prison would surely go against the grain with Burk. Though I think with Sorenson—”’ Weir’s eyes had never left the speaker. Through the other’s inconsequential talk and apparently careless acceptance of the fact of arrest, the engineer had noted the tense gathering of the man’s body. ‘Put your hands up!” he interrupted at this point. Vorse had uttered no following word after speaking Sorenson’s name; his voice ter- minated abruptly. At the same instant his right hand flew to his holster and whipped out his gun. It was the advantageous time for which he had waited, for Madden’s look, ‘which had been moving back and forth from Vorse to Sorenson so as to cover both, had passed to the cattleman. And Weir’s weapon was undrawn. But if Vorse drew fast, the engineer’s motion was like a flash of light. His weap- on leaped on a level with the other’s breast. The report sounded a second before that of Vorse’s, and three before Madden’s, who also had fired. Then, if ever, Steele Weir had displayed his amazing speed in beating an enemy to his gun, for Vorse had indeed been quick, ELOOO (C(O) S (C(O) mM