Argosy All-Story Weekly, August 9, 1924 — page 116: what you’re looking at

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

266 ering gleam of light southward, away from the river. Half an hour after leaving the river he was sitting motionless in the saddle at the edge of some timber near a house. The house was built of logs. He had seen it be- fore, in the daylight, in the days before Pete Nelly had come to live in it. He knew the house contained four rooms. The big room, the front room, faced east. Through one of its windows streamed the light he had seen when he had been riding through the basin. ‘There were two other rooms, directly in line with the big one. They extended westward. Southward was an L, forming the fourth room. The other rooms were dark. From where Channing sat on his horse he could see the corral. There were half a dozen horses in- side the inclosure; two others, saddled and bridled, were outside, hitched to a rail of the corral fence. Channing rode around the house at a distance, carefully scrutinizing every object in sight. He saw nothing that appeared Suspicious to him; there was no evidence that any human beings except himself and whoever happened to be in the house, were in the vicinity. It seemed, so far, that his wits were as keen as Mellert’s. For he divined that Mel- lert had ridden directly here, to inform Givens and the others of his presence in Laskar. And he had no doubt that Givens and some of his friends had ridden to Las- kar with Mellert, to serve him as they had served Vallon. He trailed the reins over the head of his horse, slipped out of the saddle and moved cautiously to a point where he could look into one of the windows. Inside, seated near a table upon which were a bottle and some glasses, were Pete Nelly and Douglas. They were laughing and talking, and as Channing stood silently at the window he heard Douglas saying, boastfully: ‘So he’s in Laskar, eh? I’m right sorry I didn’t get here in time to go along with the boys. I’d sure admire to burn him like I burned that squint eyed Vallon!”’ ‘‘ Montana says there was three of you in that,” said Nelly. ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. Nelly was dark, black bearded. He was facing Channing, and the latter saw that his eyes, black, lambent, cruel, were gleaming with satisfaction. “Three,” answered Douglas. ‘ That’s right. One of us missed. They was two holes in Vallon when we looked at him. One would have been enough.” ‘“‘ An’ Monty didn’t come through, eh?” said Nelly. To Channing it seemed that Nelly’s question had been put with a mild desire for corroboration; that he had heard the story before. ‘“* Monty’s been a weak sister right along,” said Douglas. “‘ Near Catherson’s?” asked Nelly. éé Yes.”’ “Served him right!” declared Nelly. “‘ Give him time an’ he’d have got the whole gang into trouble.” ‘“‘ Sorry I wasn’t here,” repeated Douglas. “It’s mighty curious how you get to hatin’ aman. Ever since I first laid eyes on that damned Channing I’ve been yearnin’ to throw a gun on him. I’ve had all f could do to keep from it!” Nelly laughed. “‘'You’d better be sure you start soon enough when you try that on Channing!” he warned. “ He’s poison!” “‘ Hell!” sneered Douglas. ‘“A guy downs a couple of chromos which ain’t got no right to tote a gun at all. He gets a reputation an’ folks are scared to death of him. Not me! I’d ask nothin’ better than to have Channing walk in that door right now! I’d show him how a man ought to throw a gun! I’d show him—” His voice ceased, his mouth popped open. He sat, his eyes bulging, staring at the open doorway in front of him. Nelly turned in his chair. He, too, stared. Like Douglas, he seemed nerveless, paralyzed. Channing stood in the doorway. He was rigid, his feet were spread a little distance apart; his arms were bent at the elbows and both hands were hovering just above the butts of the guns at his hips. “‘ So you’re showin’ me, eh?” said Chan- ning. His voice was dry, light, but steady. ‘Well, I’m here!” he went on when the men did not answer. “ Get up on your feet!” COMmiclboo ‘@ SS CO) nn