Argosy All-Story Weekly — "The Purple Limited" — page 109: what you’re looking at

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

THE STRAY-MAN. my old boss—Kane Lawler, of the Circle es Pd Watching Kelton intently, Shorty was certain the man did not change expression. There was not even the flicker of an eye- lash to betray that he was aware of the ulterior significance of Shorty’s words. Shorty grinned coldly at him. _ “ Kelton,” he said, ‘‘ you’ve heard of the Circle L?” “T reckon everybody in the State has - heard of it, Nelson: You boys fought that Antrim gang like wildcats. I gave Lawler my vote for Governor. But-there were a lot of men around here that didn’t—guys like Blandell.” The gray eyes gleamed; the wrinkles around them deepened, plain- ly with satisfaction. | “ Take it easy, Nelson,” added Kelton, his body half turned to Shorty. ‘“‘ Your job of mendin’ wil} be slow. There ain’t no hurry. An’ if you’re figurin’ on stayin’ in this part of the country, I’d be glad to put you on my.pay-roll when you're able to ride again.” “T’m stayin’,” said Shorty. He watched Kelton go out of the room. Kelton did not look back. Knable went out with him, and Shorty was left alone to reflect upon the wunexpectedness of his meeting with the man he had been seeking. Reviewing the incidents of the past few days he could see that the finger of destiny had seemed to guide his movements. There had been a time when he had thought of - giving up the notion of going to Loma; it \ ' Kelton’s daughter. _tance toward going on. had been before he had talked with the stranger who had referred to the disrepu- table charactér of the town’s citizens. But he had gone. On the way he had visited the Kelso water-hole just in time to meet And when at last he reached Loma he had felt a strange reluc- Something had seemed to draw him back, to bid him to return to the Circle Star. He had thought then that he had wanted to return because of a desire to see the girl again, but now he knew that Larty Dillon must have influ- enced him. For while he had been stand- ing in the door of the livery stable in Loma, Larry had seemed to be, very close to him. . He regarded the darkening world with 675 morose eyes, his lips twitching in an ironic smile. He had -unexpectedly found Brail Kelton—and Brail Kelton was Aer father. Romance, which had seemed to be blazing for him a path to happiness, was now ar- ranging a tragedy. Moreover, he owed his life to the daughter of the man he had come to kill; and he was now under that man’s roof enjoying his hospitality. When he thought of the girl—the way she had looked at him; when he considered how she had lain in his arms, confident of his honorableness; when he reflected upon the concern she had exhibited, and he light inher eyes when she had hovered over him when he had awakened that afternoon; and. when he considered the longing in his heart for her, he was almost persuaded to foreswear his vengeance. But when his thoughts centered upon Larry; and when he mentally repeated what Blackburn had told him; when he again mentally read the note that had been found pinned to his friend’s clothing, he knew that he could never break faith with the man-who had been his companion through more than five years of a life that brought out the best in Larry—and_ it was that best which Shorty now saw, beloved _ traits accentuated by the lapse of time and the idealism of memory. The darkness outside the window deep- ened, and after a while brilliant stars flick- ered in a velvety blue backgrourd of sky. Shorty watched the stars steadily. And after a time he spoke:. “I’m seein’ two trails, Larry. If you—”’ A sound at the side of the bed brought him tq a pause, and he slowly turned to see the girl standing near him. She was ‘In a shaft of light that came through an open doorway behind her. She appeared to him like a slim wraith that had floated into the room. ‘“‘ There—there,” she said softly, sooth- ingly. She laid a cool hand on his fore- head. “Go to sleep, Shorty,” she added gently; ‘‘ you'll be having a fever again. Larry isn’t here, you know.” It was plain to him that she thought the fever had returned, and that delirium was again gripping him. He laughed grimly. “I reckon Larry’s (C(CO)INN) (C 6)(0)©) S (CCO)INN)