Argosy, Vol. 120, No. 1 — page 101: what you’re looking at

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

- THE TRAIL HORDE. they sat and talked of the fight and con- jectured over its probable consequences. Singleton stayed close to the Two Dia- mond; and after the second day, Della Wharton rode to the ranch and sat brood- ing over the failure of her plans. When Lawler had been brought into the hotel she had entertained a hope that the situa- tion might be turned to her advantage. But there had been something in Ruth Hamlin’s clear, direct eyes that had con- _ vinced her of the futility of attempting to poison her mind against Lawler by men- tioning her stay in the line cabin with the cattleman. She saw faith in Ruth’s eyes— complete, disconcerting; and it had mace her feel inferior, unworthy, cheap, and in- consequential. On the fourth day Lawler regained con- sciousness. The doctor had told them all that the crisis was at hand; that if the fever broke, marking the end of the de- lirium which had seized him, he would awaken normal mentally, though inevitably . weak, But if the fever did not break there would be no hope for him. Mrs. Lawler, Ruth, and Shorty were in the room with Lawler when he opened his eyes. For a.long time the three stood, breathlessly watching as Lawler lay, star- ing in bewilderment at the ceiling, at the wells, and out of the windows, through which came a soft, subdued light. And then Lawler raised his head a trifle, saw them all, and smiled. The clear light of reason was in his eyes. “Mother, Ruth, and Shorty,” he said, weakly smiling. ‘I’ve known for a lon time that you were her. But I couldn’t - let you know. Mother and Ruth — and Shorty,” he repeated. And then, in a low- er voice, that trailed off into a murmur as he closed his eyes and appeared to be fall- ing to sleep: ‘‘ Good old Shorty!” Ruth and Mrs. Lawler were clasped ini each other’s.arms, joy unutterable in their eyes. It was some time before they turned to look at Shorty. The tawny giant was standing near the foot of the bed. His lips were quivering, his eyes were wet, and his whole body seemed to be racked with emotion that he could not suppress. He was making an 91 heroic effort; though—an effort that made the cords of his neck stand out lividly; that swelled his muscles into knotty bunches. - “Damn it!” he growled, as he turned his head away from Ruth and Mrs. Lawler, so that they might not see what was re- flected there; ‘“ there ain’t no sense of him gettin’ mush-headed about it!” CHAPTER XXXV. THE NOMINATION. jt was many days before Lawler was strong enough to ride Red King to the Circle L; and many more days joined -the multitudes that have marched down the ages, before he forgot what he saw in Blackburn’s eyes when one day, soon after his return to the Circle L, he listened to the range boss relate the story of the fight on the plains. Blackburn’s cynical eyes had changed expression. They had become tragic, Strained, as though the man were Striving to blot out mental pictures that were de- tailed there—pictures that memory per- sisted in drawing. He rode with Lawler to the scene of the fight, and showed him where the Circle L outfit had brought the rustlers to bay. “After Shorty ‘left,” said Blackburn— ‘‘me insistin’ on him goin’, an’ him black- guardin’ me for sendin’ him—there was a little time when nothin’ happened. Then the day broke, an’ everything seemed to happen at once. ~ ‘“ They rushed us, Lawler. There was more of ’em than there was of us, an’ they circled around us, howlin’ an’ shootin’ like Indians. They got us between ’em. But we fought ’em—Lawler; we fought ’em till there wasn’t a man left standin’. ‘“ But there was too many of ’em. We planted twentv—afterward. But about that number got away. I was hit sort of hard, but I watched ’em scutterin’ towards Kinney’s Cafion. They’d been gone some time when Caldwell’s outfit—an’ Shorty— come up. “ Caldwell’s outfit lit out after ‘em: but Caldwell’s men had rode pretty hard get- GOMIIG OOO S CO@