The Argosy, Vol. 90 No. 1 — page 42: what you’re looking at

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

36 He had a vibrant voice, soft and compas- sionate, like a woman’s. But it was much too compassionate; and McRae did not like that note in the boy’s voice. He asked: “What are you going to do with me, Lord?” “Oh, no harm; I can promise you that.” The young bandit then rolled a cigarette to show his unconcern; but this time his hands made such a mess of it he tossed it into the wood-box. ‘“* Don’t lie to me,” said McRae. Lord looked at him—white as starch again—and did not say a word. ‘““T have been watching you all evening,” said the district attorney, ‘‘ and, of course, I know a good deal about you. I don’t believe you want to live this kind of life. Why don’t you let me go? You will only get yourself mto trouble by holding me here.” Lord significantly raised one shoulder. His companion on the watch was snoring, prone across the table. McRae resumed. ““ Let me go, and come with me. If you wait till you are arrested—as you surely will be some day—I can do nothing for you. But if you will surrender, I can prom- ise you a good deal. We have been looking for a man ready to help the prosecution— and just now, the sheriff’s office—in return for immunity. If not complete immunity, at least—” He stopped. The gentleness of Lord had been quenched as by a blaze. The boy laughed, with unutterable scorn. ‘You snake,” he said. “You had better take that back, Lord.” “‘T will. I never knew a snake to say a thing like that. I apologize to the snake. You little hypocrite, do you really think I’m on a level with you? What do you take me for? A lawyer?” Jere McRae smiled indulgently. He knew, of course, that what he had sug- gested was perfectly proper; the precedent of district attorney’s offices everywhere was with him. He began patiently to explain. “You don’t understand, Lord,” he said. “You haven't caught the idea. When a man informs, he does a service to the State; THE ARGOSY. he atones for his offense against its peace and dignity. ance; it shows he intends to be a good citi- zen in future. Don’t get a wrong concep- tion.” ‘Don’t you get a wrong conception of Schwartz,” roughly responded Lord. “‘ He’s wide-awake in yonder and hears you whis- pering.” The bandit then turned his back on the district attorney, and for some hours did not speak to him. Just before daybreak he made coffee and offered the prisoner breakfast. But McRae could not eat. He drank some coffee, very hot and strong. It now seemed to him that he had received a false impression the night before regarding Rawley Lord. The boy looked like the very devil this morning. Now and then he would whistle a bar or two of “Il Trovatore,” the “ Miserere ”— anything that came to his head; and once or twice he threw open the door and looked into the black early morning. Finally the other men came from their bunks, just as the violinist was closing the door. ‘“‘T am keeping an eye out for that posse,” he explained. ‘“ Hilairy told me yesterday there was one on the hunt. If I see it first, I fire three shots. Js that understood? And the rest of you do the same, wherever you are, if you hear it first.” Schwartz grunted. They all stood around the stove, their backs to the prisoner; but their intended victim could see them pre- paring to draw lots. ‘* Here, give me the first.” Lord swooped on the hand of straws with a laugh. He drew a straw that was very short and threw it on the floor; then he pushed the others aside and took another that was six inches long. He waved it in triumph. Then he walked around the cabin, whist- ling or laughing. Once he turned to the others to say: “Tt’s a long while getting light, isn’t it?” The lamp still burned, so McRae could not tell just when it was dawn. But Lord came to him and said: ‘““ Come on now, we’re going to show you your way home.” The district attorney distrusted him, but knew it would be useless to resist, so he oO Comicbooe It is an evidence of repent-. S CO