Argosy, Vol. 123, No. 1 — page 93: what you’re looking at

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

PRIDE OF TYSON. “ Confound it, Rona, if you den’t believe the thing yourself, why do you tell the story?” She shrugged her shoulders, frowned: and then dismissed the troublesome ques- tion with a shake of her head. “One never can tell,” she answered. ‘““ There may be something true about it.” ‘And this fellow, this Kennedy, has seen the face? What is it?” “Tt is seen at sunset when the shadows fall black across the valleys of La Cabeza. This, El Toro has told me.” . So it must be true. And had this Ken- nedy of yours heard the yarn before he saw the—face?” “How should I know, senor? All I know is that he saw it, for he told me so. And should I let him die in a year? A man so young and so very big? Ah, no!” “And Kennedy the—Kennedy is_ to marry you! When?” “In avery few days. The year is almost at an end.” “You put it off to the last, eh?” “ Why not?” “Well, I suppose you'll both be very happy. You like this Kennedy, eh?” “ He has much money. Yes, I like him.” ‘“ H-m-m!” mused Tyson. “But you, you do voi like him?” “ He may be very well—in his way.” ' “YT have seen him shoot a little bird so high—as high above as that tree-tep— shoot it with a revolver, Senor Tyson.” “ A bad man to meet on a dark night. I don’t doubt it. Now what would you say, Rona, if I were to be wearing that same bit of yellow and black silk the next time I see your” 83 “He would not give it to you,’ she said, shaking her head at the idea. ‘And why not?” ‘Because J gave it to him. That is clear.” “ But if I took it?” | “Took it? From him?” She laughed softly as ever, but it was not a pleasant laugh to hear. ‘J would like to see that time.when you take it from the big man.” Her cold and calculating eye swept him as though she were imagining the places where the bullets from the unerring gun of Renmedy would strike. “Nevertheless,” he said, ‘I shall be ae that same tie the next time I see you.” Her eyes widened marvelously. “ Would you fight for it?” she whispered. Then, as a little silence fell: “ Would you object to that?” But for answer there was a little, con- tented sigh, and no words. It was so un- canny—it made the blood of Tysen run so cold—that he stared.fixedly at the girl and paid no attention to his footing. The result was that his heel caught on a sharp, projecting rock, and he was flung to his knees; the bottle of whisky crashed into a thousand tinkling fragments. A wail from Rona brought him to his feet. , - She was on her knees trying wildly to scoop up some of the precious stuff in the holiow of her hand. But the dry sand soaked up the fire-water in a single gulp. It was then that she rose and fairly leaped at Tyson, the narrow blade of the stiletto glittering above her head. (Te be continued NEKT WEEK.) KNOWLEDGE ECAUSE she stepped in my heart one day, Where never a step before might win, ‘I know what grace fills an empty place - When the Well Beloved comes in. Because she went from my heart one day, { know as never another one The lonely gloom of a crowded room When the Weill Beloved has gone. Theodosia Garrison. cComicloool ©