Argosy All-Story Weekly — "The Purple Limited" — page 106: what you’re looking at

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

672 “YT reckon I must have come back, ma’am. The last I remember I was head- ed this way.” ‘“‘ Go to sleep,” she told him. Obedient- ly he closed his eyes. When he opened them again the girl was sitting in a chair near the bedside, gazing out of a window. For a long time he watched her, admiring the curves of her neck and throat, and the way her hair rip- pled in the breeze that came through the window. 4 “Did your dad hire any men lately?” he questioned. She gave a little startled gasp and tip- toed to his side. You are not to talk,” she said. “Why,” he objected; “I feel g heap like gettin’ up, ma’am. I reckorf a little talk wouldn’t hurt none. Accordin’ to my notion I ain’t done any talkin’ for more than a year.” | “Three days,” she smiled. | He meved slightly, and got one elbow under him, prepping himself up with it. ‘If you ain’t got any objections—” he began. , She was leaning over him instantly, gently forcing him back, and emitting sharp little exclamations of dismay and ap- prehension. But what he paid attention to was that during the operation her face was very close to his; and the fragrance of her hair was all about him. He persisted, merely because of the exhilaration that contact with her provided, and at last had the satisfaction of feeling one of her hands on his forehead. Thereafter, for some time, he lay quiet. And she retreated to her chair, though she brought it closer—where she could look at him without being obliged to turn. “One thing is botherin’ me,” he said, after a while. ‘“ How did I get here?” “On Red King. You were lashed to the saddle.” She paused. “Did you do “that?” “TI reckon I did.” “ Who shot you?” “ Blandell, I reckon. I’d give him cause —accordin’ to his way of thinkin’. His kind of man, I mean. “J was headed this way, intendin’ to 2 - | ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. ask your dad for a job.” He regarded her gravely while saying this, and was grati- fied to see her eyes quicken. “I’m not swearin’ it was Blandell. It was some- body. The bullet went into my back— seemin’ to burn through. The guy used a rifle, at close range.” ; “Yes,” she said; “the doctor got the bullet out. You were very lucky. If it had been higher or lower you would not be here to-day.” ‘Then I’d have missed this ”’—he waved -a hand around the reom; adding—“ an’ you.” ; He marveled at the swift color that came into her face. But she did net answer, and * he closed his eyes, not wishing her to know that he was aware, of her embarrassment. Replying to her request for additional information regarding the shooting, he went on: ° “Why, I reckon there wasn’t much to it, ma’am. I’d quit thinkin’ for a while; and when my brain got to goin’ again I saw Red King lyin’ down beside me. I’d taught him that, long ago. I got on him after a while, an’ after he got up I lashed myself to the saddle-horn — like you found me. Yes,” he added, ‘I knowed it was you; but I couldn’t do any thankin’ just then. I’m doin’ it now. Curious how Red King knowed where to bring me—wasn’t it?” ‘* Yes—curious.”’ He laughed. ‘I reckon he’d got ac- quainted with you. Red King is a pretty wise hoss.” ‘‘ And his master?” she smiled. “His master wasn’t very wise. If he had been he’d have stopped here the morn- _ ing he brought you from the water-hole.”’ ‘“* But you said you had been comin’ here when you were shot,” she said, regarding him with mocking,’ dancing eyes. ‘“* So I did,” he returned, his lips twitch- ‘ing a little; “it took me a whole day to find out that I’d made a mistake in leavin’ here.” ‘““Oh!” she exclaimed, and turned her head so that he might not see her eyes. ‘* A man *: Loma was tellin’ me he was comin’ here for a job,” he went on. “A slim guy, tall, wearin’ two guns an’ ridin’ a black hoss. Did he get the job?” 6A 0)(0)©) (C sal (C(O) S (C(O)