Argosy All-Story Weekly, June 27, 1925 — page 142: what you’re looking at

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

9S6 “T aint surprised a bull lot,” retorted Red, “ except that yore mind could have all af that in it at once. You ain’t strained fy, have vou?” * An’ no damn sniart Aleck remarks from a flathead can change me a mite!” rejoined Lanky. “You heard me palaver, an’ I’m shore set.” “So's a mule!” retorted Red. “For a measly cigarette you'd spoil th’ only chance we've got of pickin’ up a murderin’ cow thief or two before we get out of this part of th’ country. If yore boots was bigger you’d mebby have more room for brains!” “That so?” demanded Lanky. ‘“ What business you got to stick yore iron in this here fire? How many of them ambushin’ skunks did you get?” “T shore miscalled it when I said boots!” flared Red, flushing. “ You an’ th’ Kid know why I didn’t get none of em! Next time I'll see that you don’t shove me off in a corner to play mumbly peg, an’ that’s flat! How many did you get?” In the wrangling that ensued the main topic, and the most important one, was for- gotten: Lanky’s threat to get a sack of tobacco before the dawn of another day. Red, mumbling to himself at Lanky’s stu- pidity in questioning the usefulness of his efforts in the pass, stalked off with Mes- quite’s saddle on his shoulder, to borrow Mesquite’s horse. He soon rode back past the fire, where Mesquite was slicing thin bits of venison preparatory to jerking them in the smoke; and when he returned on his own horse and joined the pair, the argu- ment was not brought up again. ITT. THREE men rode in single file on their way to Broken Wheel, climbing ridges or winding about between them, alert for fresh tracks or other signs of any of the outlaws they wanted. Twilight found them passing through the last deep, wide cafion between them and their destination, and about two hours later they pulled up on the rim of the saucer-shaped valley and looked down at the yellow lights of the town. The night was clear and star-bright, a gentle wind whispering through the brush ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. aod sage on the hillside and the bunchgrasg in the open. The middle rider glanced to the right and the left, speaking to his companions. “T reckon we better ride well around th’ town, an’ not stop till we get on th’ other side, where they won’t be so likely to expect us. We'll give 'em a couple of days to fee| safe, an’ then come in after dark an’ clean up our job in this part of th’ country.” ‘Who do you figger will be down there?” asked Red, looking steadily at the faint lights below. He was holding himself in check and agreeing to this waiting policy, while he fairly ached to go down and put matters to the test. Lanky chuckled, keeping in his mind his determination to get his smoking tobacco, but carefully refraining from giving his companions any inkling of his thoughts. “Don’t know who,” he answered before Mesquite could reply, “ except that Shang- hai won't be there. Most likely, if any of ‘em are in town, it'll be Buck Eades or Hub Hendricks. However,” he said, chuckling softly, “it don’t make no difference to us who he is, just so he’s there. Where are you fellers aimin’ to head for now?” Mesquite shook his head, not being fa- miliar enough with this part of the country to name a place; but Red was not at a loss. “Right in that little blind cafion where me an’ you laid low th’ day after we got here,” he said. ‘* There’s some dry fire- wood under a ledge that I rustled while you was loafin’ around lookin’ at that split top mountain. Its off th’ trails an’ ain't likely to be visited.” Lanky and Mesquite grunted their assent and the three pushed on along the hill, a score of paces below the rim. The short line strung out, Lanky bringing up the rear, the position he had fallen into naturally as they had swung their horses to ride off in the new direction. Red’s low voice asked a question and Mesquite, who was second in the line, pushed ahead to join the leader and find out what he was talking about; they were now directly opposite the town and _ neither, being wrapped up in their conversation, noticed that the tail had come off the end of their kite and had deserted. They rode on GOMIGDOOo C SS Co