Argosy All-Story Weekly, March 15, 1924 — page 74: what you’re looking at

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

\ “ > MINIONS OF THE LAW. - “Didn’t see him last night. Understand he beat it for Sunset about midnight.” ‘“‘Liquored up?” “ Understand he was as talkative as one of those skulls they’re diggin’ up in the cliff dweller towns over near Flagstaff,” Speedy said. ‘‘ Reckon Sad-eye could tell you more about ’im than I can. He saw im when he was draggin’ it for Sunset.” “When did he pull out?” “ Just after midnight, I reckon. I went oyer to the Chink’s about that time for chow and on my way back I tried to avoid a collision with Sad-eye, but the road wasn’t wide enough. He told me then that Jim Being:in a had pulled out for the range. hurry to get away from Sad-eye, I got back in time to play the sucker in a sure thing game. I’m feelin’ as poor as a government Injun this morning.” “ What did they take?” ‘“‘ Nothing much, but everything that was in sight,” Speedy said in that drawl of his. “They did leave me my working tools, but those ’leven hundred dollars that decorated the tables are now in damned bad com- pany.” “Would you know them if you saw them again?” “What ju mean, the money?” ‘“No, the two men that had you reach- ing for the ceiling.” “ Would I know them? Naw, I wouldn’t know them. Might of if I had had a good _ look at them, but everywhere I looked I- was looking into a barrel. I sure was! I didn’t see any men; all I saw was the busi- ness end of a gun with its mouth open so wide that I could see down its throat where that lead slug was—” ‘““Was Tuey in here most of the evening after Jim Barber put his brand on Warren ship?” ‘Yes, that cheap tin horn was hanes round here all evening until just before I went after my grub, He bought a dollar’s ‘worth of chips and just because I wanted to take them away from him on one roll, he cashed in for seventy-five dollars. How- ever,- guess he might as well had ’em as the other—er—well, you know what I mean.” “Ves,” I grinned, “me being a minion 708 of the law, I ain’t supposed to consider, a fellow as guilty until the evidence is. in, but you, seeing as how you’re nothing but a gambler by profession, you can tell the truth about any one you want to and ‘get away with it.” ‘Well, Red, I'll lay the cards down for you. I'm fond of this Tuey fellow just like I’m fond of a Gila monster. He’s done me no dirt, understand. I’ve got nothing*on him, but -just sizing him up on general markings, if you’re looking for some one that ought to. make an ideal prisoner in an air tight pen, I’d recommend Tuey.” _ “Got to give him credit, Speedy,” I said, even though it hurt me to say something good. about him, “he acted pretty white last night. Helped me get Rip back to the ’dobe and then remained there all night with 4 me—and he really helped, too.” ‘ "Well, good-by, Red!” Speedy drawled. “Hate to lose you. I sure will miss your regular contributions to the rent money, but - when Tuey’s being good to you I reckon it’s time to bid you a long farewell. Say, if that coyote.ever starts to being nice to me I’ll buy one of those new six-guns and get a second set of eyes for the back: of my head. Take the advice of the best little roulette dealer on this stretch of sand, Red. When you are going, sort of keep an eye on where you’re coming, and when you’re com- ing, be sure to watch where you're going. You sure want to have the red and black covered, with a little something on the gréen just to keep the goose eggs from winning the money. That’s me, Red, when I’m playing the game with that hombre!” * ~ “Seen Rube Howell: this morning?” “ Oh, yes, he drifted in for his morning’s morning a few minutes ago. If that kid would put more in his paper and less down his throat, he’d get on faster. Perfectly good boy, but sometimes I think he lacks something. ” rv “ Lacks experience,” I suggested. “Naw,” Speedy dissented in that draw] of his, ‘‘ it’s mostly brains he lacks!” 3 “ Hope he’s got enough of them to tell me what was on his mind last night when he called Rip Jaimson out of Squire Glynn’s place. He and Rip went off toward ’dobe town together and the next thing I knew , COMME DOO S