Argosy All-Story Weekly, June 13, 1925 — page 72: what you’re looking at

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

ond 544 The light streaming from the open door- way of Hell’s Delight fell upon his grim, fearless countenance. “Listen!” he shouted. ‘ As this hangin’ bee is goin’ to give you one and all a little choice entertainment, it ain’t but fair that you should grant the wishes of a man that’s condemned to die. This little gal I hold here In my arms ain’t used to these strange, rough doin’s. She’s plumb scairt out of her wits. All I ask and all she asks is that you end her sufferin’s first. Wull you grant that one last wish of a man who’s a goin’ to his doom?” The roar of the mob silenced him. It was evident that his plea had fallen upon fertile ground in the hearts of a few, but it was likewise evident that the coarser ele- ment—if it could be said that there were degrees of coarseness in the crowd that had been disgorged from Hell’s Delight—wished cruelly to see the unfortunate young girl suffer to the last. It was her anguish that they looked for- ward to most; this dainty morsel of femini- nity they must see rent with terror at her gruesome fate. And it was Belle, the dance hall girl, who put this feeling into gripping words. ‘““ Naw!’ she shouted hoarsely. ‘ Let th’ red head swing fust. Let that gal, with her white face and her quakin’ knees, see how it looks when a man wiggles and squirms and kicks out fer a breata of air when th’ knot tightens on his gullet! Let her see fer herself how his arms flap and flail and how his chest comes near to bust- in’ as he tries and tries and tries to guip down a leetle air that won’t never, never pass that knot against his throat! “ Let her see his kickin’ and writhin’ git more and more violent ontil it reaches that stage when ya can skassly foller his move- ments with th’ nekkid eye, and then git slower and slower as his face and hands gets bluer and bluer onti! finally us boys and gals sends a passel o’ lead into his stif- fenin’ corpse! Let her see him suffer, whut 1 mean, ladies and gents! I’m sayin’, if ya do it my way, we’re a goin’ t’ see some- thin’ choice and interestin’ when it comes t’ her turn.” A roar of tumultuous approval greeted ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. Belle’s suggestion. She was clapped on the back. Another dance hall girl hugged her gleefully and men spoke to her who had heretofore ignored her. It was Belle’s high moment. . Margery Corbin was softly weeping up- on Red Wilpin’s chest. Through his flannel shirt he could feel her hot tears. “Well, I reckon it’s the end, lamb,” he said quietly. ‘‘ And there ain’t no law to stop ’em. No mayor, no sheriff, no con- stable. Oh, my Gawd, why did Friday have to go and turn yaller in our hour of need? Mebbe he’s protectin’ the U.S. mails. And, of coss, they have got to be protected. But why couldn’t he figger out some way to protect them and protect us at the same time?” “And why, why,” the girl sobbed, “ is this dreadful form of punishment to be visited upon me? What would my poor dear dead mother and father think if they knew that their little girl—their little Peaches— was going to be hanged just to satisfy the morbid curiosity of horse thieves, cattle rustlers, claim jumpers and—and scarlet womenP “Oh, why does the world treat me so cruelly? What have I ever done? I have never spoken an unkind word to a man, woman or child. I have never lifted my hand in anger against a dumb beast. I have gone to church, taught in a Sunday school class and said my prayers regularly.” “ Well, hon’, you’d better be sayin’ your leetle prayers right now, ’cause there ain’t a goin’ to be much more time left. And put in a good word or two fer me. Mebbe my life ain’t been blameless, but I ain’t no goat masqueradin’ around in lamb’s wool, if I do say so. And mebbe I have spoken an unkind word or so, and I reckon I’ve lifted my hand in anger against more dumb beasts than I can count on my fingers and toes—_and sometimes my hands contained a club or a blacksnake whip. “ But jest the same, hon’, the sins of these here folks who ain’t a goin’ to die are a whole lot more scarlet than mine. I ain’t never shot down or stabbed a fel- low creature without bein’ real provoked fust. So recommend me in yore prayers, hon’, and put my best side forward.” 4A COIN clooolkks C@