Argosy All-Story Weekly, March 15, 1924 — page 134: what you’re looking at

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

Te er ee, ' Jaw’s MYSTERY LAND. then, before he knew what was happening, Bassett’s heavy hand was on the hacka- more. The wild horse plunged and reared. Efforts was fruitless. The hackamore shut off his breath. Then a handkerchief went over his eyes, and was tied. His world grew dark and he stood, quivering in every nerve and mus- cle, while Bassett’s hand, now light and gen- tle, stroked his muzzle. Later, Bassett led him to the shade of a tree near the rear porch, tied him, stood for a time watching him, and then went into the house. CHAPTER XXV. TWO LOVES, VE and Warren had ridden to Red Mesa on the chance that the gown _ she had ordered had arrived. She rode homeward with Warren, holding the package tightly, treasuring it as she had | treasured the other on Hy , ~~. Warren’s cabin on the day she had shot Jay Ventray. This time there had been no misunderstand- ing on Kinney’s part; no one had molested Eve. Kinney’s conduct was faultless. “ Yes, ma’am ” and “ No, ma’am:” had: been the limit of his’ conversation. And “ Hope yow'll come again” were his words when his customers departed from the portals of his store. Different had been the treatment accord- ed Eve. She felt different. Then she had fled with hideous emotions tugging at her, now, she was loping her horse slowly south- ward, thrilling with delight over the posses- sion of the gown and awesomely enjoying her new found happiness. Moreover, Warren had told her a secret which he had been guarding jealously. He, not Green, was the instrument of the selection which was to guide her des- tinies until she became Jcgally of age. War- ren was a son of the man who was really her guardian, and he had come into the country unannounced, to make certain there was no mistake in identity. Green and his deputy were impostors. Jim Hale, the sheriff, knew it, for various 163 telegraphic communications had proved it. Besides, he knew the elder Warren inti- mately. He had not interfered with Green and the bogus deputy because he was curi- ous to see how far they would press their dishonest claim. Last.night Warren had revealed to Eve the vastness of her new riches, and she was only beginning to realize what the change was going to mean to her. And as she rode to-day there was a shadow, of nepret a in her eyes. “Tt isn’t fair!” Eve said when, topping _, a rise, she halted her horse and gazed at ‘afar mesa, its broad, dun top, like a gigan- tic table, aflame in the sun. A great dis- tance beyond the mesa a mountain peak, . remote, aloof, majestic, solemnly lifted its rugg ged shape into the calm sky. Interven-. Ing were spires of granite, bastioned towers, minarets. Wavering, sinuous lines of dry guich wound away, vanishing into a blue, tenuous haze at the bases of the-foothills. Eve thrilled to memories of past days as she gazed at the country around her. Not _ until this minute had she realized that she had always loved it. “ What isn’t fair?’ asked: Warren. horse was beside hers. “That this news should come to me after —that it must come now, after I’ve lived here so long.” ‘You mean that you love it?” ‘“ Wayne, I believe I could never be satis- fied in any other place!”” _ “That won’t be difficult to arrange,” he suggested. “ We'll live East for a time, and when it begins to tire you, welll come — back.” His “Yes,” she whispered eagerly. ‘“ Yes! And I shall come back soon!” 7 ‘ But not too soon,” he smiled. “ There are a number of things in the East that you must see—places and people that perhaps will make you forget this country.” ‘“ Wayne,” she said, “ I shall never forget Channing. What will he do after—after I leave?” Warren gazed at her, sober of face. wi hen he smiled. “Don’t worry about Channing. From what I have seen of him he is able to take care of himself.” conmiicoool<