Argosy All-Story Weekly — "The Purple Limited" — page 113: what you’re looking at

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

THE STRAY-MAN. Shorty studied her, trying to analyze the puzzling expression. And after a while, when he had definitely decided that it was a mixture of apprehension and suspicion, illumination came to him. He remembered that on the night he had spoken of Larry, and she had answered him, she had returned a hesitating “No” when he had asked her if he had mentioned the name of Larry’s murderer. He was convinced that he had mentioned Kelton’s name; he was convinced that she knew he had come to kill her father—per- haps she even thought he had knowg the night he had been shot that the Kelton he sought owned the Circle Star. ‘ Nothing else would explain the suspicion im her eyes; there could be no other reason for her interest in Larry Dillon, or for her detailed questioning regarding the crime, or for her attempt to dissuade him from the deed by quoting the commandment: ‘“ Thou shalt not kill.” . To be sure, she was to be excused for making an attempt to shield her father, and Shorty was filled with pity for her because of her discovery of her father’s crime, but he was not to be misled or influenced from his vengeance by any subterfuge or artifice; and the smile that flitted over his face was expressive of grim mockery. Yet he did not want her to know that he was aware of her knowledge. There was a heaviness at his heart now—the heaviness of disillusionment; for he had entertained a hope that the things she had been telling him about the commandments might have swayed him to spare her parent. In fact; he had been on the point of yielding many times during the period of his convales- cence, knowing that his surrender would be due in part to the effect on him of her words regarding the commandments. They had seemed to promise him a way out. But she had uttered them merely as a means of saving her father’s life. Shorty had turned from the girl and was morosely scanning the vast expanse of level land around him. In his heart was a pas- sion‘much the same as that which had dwelt in it for the past year—a lust for revenge. He had become entirely uncon- _&cious of the girl’s presence; he was thinking 679 of the baffling gray eyes of her father, and how those eyes had unwaveringly held his own on the night he ‘had first seen Kelton. He became aware of the girl’s presence when he felt one of her hands on his arm. He turned, to see her standing close to him. Her face was paje, her lips were drawnvand white, and her eyes were bril- liant through a slight moisture in them. It seemed to him that she must have di- vined his thoughts; that she knew he was aware of her pitiful attempt to save her father, and that now she had decided to ask for mercy. “Shorty,” she said slowly; “ I ‘want you. to promise not to shoot—or kill—anybody, until I have had another talk with you? Will you promise?” “T reckon I can promise that, ma’am,”’ he said gravely. ‘You can,” she smiled; promise ?”’ “T do, ma’am.”’ She smiled, said “ Thank you ” in a low voice, and went toward the ranch-house. Shorty saw her vanish through the kitchen door. He stood for a long time staring into the western distance; and then he dropped into the chair Helen had vacated. Late that night, after Kelton had gone to bed, Red King; lying in a corner of the corral where there was still a suspicion of grass that had not been tramped to atoms by the countless hoofs that had danced upon it before his coming, whinnied recog- nition to a figure that stealthily let down ‘but do you the bars of the gate. ‘Red King got up eagerly and approached the figure, which threw both arms around his neck and hugged him gently. Exhib- iting every indication of pleasure and sub- mission, Red King followed the figure out of the corral, stood docilely by while the figure replaced the corral bars; and then again followed, to halt at the stable door. Red King nickered with delight when a saddle was thrown’ upon his back; and opened his muzzle eagerly for the bit. And then, while the big horse was waiting ex- pectantly for the figure to vault to his back with the old-time grace, another figure glid- ed toward them from the ranch-house. Red King recognized this figure, also; PG (C(O) 6)(0)©) S (C(O)