The Argosy, Vol. 76, No. 3 — page 32: what you’re looking at

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

502 aware that his eyes were absently re- garding a framed photograph on the adobe wall. Absorbed in his reflections, he had looked at that picture without seeing it. Now, abruptly, he recognized the original of the photograph, and sat up suddenly on the cot. Another picture, framed among the cottonwoods and lighted with the moon's beams, flashed out before him. This picture on the wall was the same, even to the lustrous tresses with the full-blown rose tangled among them. Getting to his feet, he walked around the foot of the cot and snatched the picture from the wall. It was framed in cactus-wood, and he stared at it with hard eyes. Had Griggsby placed it there? Or Lacey? He could not bring himself to think that either of his predecessors had been so foolish. Very likely it was a souvenir of the days when Mallory was working the mine. Griggsby and Lacey had merely left it hanging on the wall. Bremerton muttered a fierce impre- cation and drove his fist through the frame. Twisting the cactus-wood apart, he flung the fragments out of the window. ‘Then he picked up the picture, tore it in pieces, and flung the scraps after the wreck of the frame. “T’ve no room here for even a pic- ture of Lacey’s she-demon,’” said Bremerton with a scowl. “A fine souvenir for me to look at! The eyes of a wildcat! Every glance of them would remind me of the note that lured Lacey into a trap!” Some one entered the outer room. A shuffling footstep crossed the floor, halted, and a thin voice called: “Missa Blemton! ” He stepped out of the sleeping apart- ment and found Wun Sing holding a covered tray and smiling blandly. “What do you want, Sing?” he asked. “Me blingee chuck. Missa King tellee me you sick. Plaps you likee eatee chuck in office, huh? ”’ THE ARGOSY. “ King’s got it wrong. I’m not sick. I'll eat with the men, Sing. Take the food back to the chuck-shanty.” Wun Sing’s face showed chagrin and disappointment. He wavered a moment, then turned and shuffled to- ward the door. “ Awri,” he remarked. Ten minutes later Bremerton sat at the head of a long table in the chuck- shanty. At his right sat King. Some twenty faces, not one of the sort to inspire confidence, ringed the table from King around to Bremerton’s left. “Boys,” observed King a little doubtfully, “this is Mr. Bremerton, the new superintendent.” One or two ducked their heads. A few more grufited. The majority merely stared and said nothing at all. “Don’t say anything if it hurts,” said Bremerton, with a quiet smile. “ You may not be glad to see me, but don’t do any guessing until we’re bet- ter acquainted. It must be rather pleasant for you to have a hot -meal after a day or two of living on scraps in the dry wash. If you had helped King keep order in camp, Wun Sing might have remained on the job.” These words seemed to startle some ‘of the men. A few exchanged glances, but others bent sullenly over their plates. “Are these miners and millmen, King?” inquired Bremerton casually as he began eating. “ Both,” was the reply; “ along with the blacksmith and a couple of ore- haulers. The rest of the men are keep- ing house in the Mexican quarter.” The men ate like famished animals, but they cleaned their plates in a hurry and passed out of the shanty. “They'll wait outside for you, Bremerton,” confided King in a shiv- ering whisper, “ miners and all. I told them you wanted to see them. If you don’t raise their pay they’ll start a riot.” “ll not raise their pay and they won't start any riot.” Bremerton picked up his hat from COMicdoo S CO@