Argosy All-Story Weekly, 4 February 1922 — page 27: what you’re looking at

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

Has any one rid- den in to Dexter for the mail yet this morning?” “Tad Mason; he ought to be back now any time. And there’ s another thing, Miss just about to the limit, Sue. It was Tad who rode back last night to have a look at that dead pinto by the break in the fence, and he found some one else there ahead of him—that Easterner who’s stayin’ down to the Central Hotel. Chanler, his name is. He ‘lowed to Tad that he’d seen that pinto more’n once round Dexter, and the hombre that was ridin’ him was small and quick as a cat, and darker than the ordinary greaser, like he wasn’t altogether Mex, with thick lips and a flat nose and a scar down one side of his face.” “Pedro Ruiz!” Susanna breathed. ‘“ Jake’s head man next to Feliciano Mes- ega.”’ “ That’s who it sounds like,” nodded Wes. ‘ That Chanler hombre’s got sharp eyes if he is lazy-lookin’, and moseyin’ round Dexter with nothin’ on his mind but his hat. You ain’t met up with him, have you, Miss Sue?” Susanna shook her head. ‘““No. Lee knows him, and Sylvia met him at a dance at the Bar D, but I never > saw him. If he’s sure about the descrip- Sake tion of the man he noticed on that pinto the sheriff ought to be told at once.” ‘““T told Tad to leave word for Big Matt in Dexter this morning—” The foreman broke off and, shading his eyes with his hand, squinted at a faint puff of dust rising in little swirls far off down the road. “‘ That must be Tad comin’ now.” “Send the mail up to the ranch-house, Wes, and—I may want to talk things over with you later.” Susanna moved off. ‘“ Let me know if there is any news from the sheriff.” After Doc Rankin’s ministrations on the previous evening Lee had been placed in his own bed, and now as Susanna entered the dim, cool living-room a tall, brilliantly blond girl rose slowly from a low chair and faced her. There was thinly veiled hos- Susanna regarded her serenely. _._ fortable as our conveniences here permit,” Se ee : = tility in that cold, supercilious stare, but - ~“T hope that you were made as com- she remarked quietly. ‘“‘If there is. a any- thing that you or your mother req ie please do not hesitate to ask for it. little sister is inexperienced, and with sud. den illness in the house one is apt to fail in the lesser considerations for one’s cae = “We only regret that we are compelled — — : to force ourselves upon your hospitality for a day or two because of the severe nervous shock which my mother suffered — = yesterday.” There was a palpable sneer in Daisy Acheson’s tones. “ Although we — = realize that the necessity was in turn forced — = upon ws, you can appreciate the fact that we do not care to consider ourselves guests, — and it is infinitely distasteful to us to ac- cept any hospitality. We would prelers to pay—” Susanna interrupted her, and now there was something ominous in the even, level courtesy of her voice. : “I’m sorry. I don’t believe there i is any = boarding-place nearer than Dexter, where, besides the Central Hotel, you would find — ee Re ae only Ma Hooper’ s. There is plenty SS : ‘bootleg whisky in town, and-as she ca = mostly to greasers and punchers on a holi- | 2S day, there are sometimes shots which are _ not fired into the air, and which might prove even a greater shock to Mrs, Ache- — son’s nerves than she encountered yester- “= == day. I assure you that your stay here at ~ the Circle Six will be made as little dis- z == tasteful to you as possible.” = : She bowed slightly, and without waiting — = = for the other girl to reply, turned and — passed around the gallery into her brother's room. ze “Hello, Sue!” He greeted her weakly =e from among his pillows. “How is Bull’s- Sa eye? You “told me he reached home—” = “He’s all right, Lee dear.” There was a surprising quiver of tenderness in Su- — = sanna’s usually calm, capable tones as she — bent to smooth the coverlet. “I’ve just been out to see him, and Wes says the ball | only grazed the flesh without touching a = = muscle or tendon; he’ll be as good as ever in a week or so.” “Thank the Lord! nS —, i. <= ° Pa Lose ~ _ -<—as aS