Argosy All-Story Weekly, January 21, 1922 — page 51: what you’re looking at

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

THE BLOOD-CALL. drinks on the house—and a gal for a nice sociable little dance?” “Td like a tomale,” Quade said. “I’m hungry.” - “ Right-o,” Mr. Silent answered. ‘A good hot chicken tomale. I'll see to it—and a bottle of wine to go with it.” The proprietor left, and a buzz, partly of disappointment, went around the crowd of onlookers. The fight for which they had waited so expectantly seemed to have been completely sidetracked by the extraordinar- ily friendly conversation the two men in- dulged in. But when Jude Silent with- drew into his little office, taking with him Juan Scaly and old Jug Trilles, the crowd’s expectations were again raised. Further- more, the fact that all windows and doors were guarded presaged exciting develop- ments. - Jude Silent’s big, red face was moist with a nervous perspiration, his silvery hair rumpled from scratching, and his cigar chewed to a shapeless brush. He shut the door behind him as soon as he was alone with Scaly and Jug. “ He’ll stay for a while,” the proprietor said, mopping his face. ‘“‘ What do you birds say we do to hime” ‘‘ As I was tellin’ Juan Scaly here,” Jug Trilles began. ‘‘ This here time we're go- in’ to get Quade right. He ain’t goin’ to have any chanst for a comeback.” ‘Dope him,” the proprietor suggested, holding a match to his dead cigar. ‘“‘ Hell, no. That’s too old. Every one would get it. Might there’s be a trial up to Mulé City and then where’d we be at? You can’t afford to have people doped in this here establishment unless it’s absolute- ly necessary. Now, this time it ain’t necessary.” ‘““ Give me wan chanst, and I shoot him up outright,” Juan Scaly avowed, his Mexi- can desire for revenge overcoming him. ‘““ Now, look here, Mexico,” Trilles said. “Youre goin’ to get your revenge—but what’s a revenge when you're hangin’ daid from a sycamore limb? You want revenge so’s you can live and enjoy it the rest of your life, don’t you? Well, then, shut up and listen to me.” He put his arm around (To be continued 41 both of the men and said quietly, “ Now what I figured on is this: Me and one of your barkeeps will stay outside the door nearest the table where Jim Quade is sit- ting at. Then you, Jude, will go to him and get him into a talk and frisk him.” ‘“‘He’s too sharp. I couldn’t get his six-gun away without he’s drugged. Dope him>I tell you.” ‘* Now, look here, Jude, you do as I tell you. Pick his gun-pocket with them trick fingers of yourn, and the barkeep will rush at him right off’n the bat. Then when Jim Quade ain’t armed no more—Juan Scaly here and a dozen men can lay to and wallop him. It ’ll look of course like Juan Scaly was the cause of it, bein’ as how Juan was licked up to the Tumbling L. Then every one will say: ‘ Look at Juan Scaly and his gang beatin’ up Jim Quade,’ and I'll hear the rumpus, and bein’ the sheriff’s made me one of his shotgun deputies, I’ll come in and say: ‘ What’s all this rumpus?’ And I[’ll say: ‘ Cut it out! This is a peace- able place and I’m here to see that law and order’s done!’ But you birds—you won’t cut it out and you won’t do nothin’ I tell you. So Ill say: ‘ Quiet or I'll start in with my six-gun!’ But that won’t do no good, either. You birds will still go on beatin’ up Quade and lettin’ him fight. ‘Then [ll out with my gat and plug away, bein’ careful of course to hit no one except Mr. Jim Quade.”’ ‘“ That sounds a bit of all right,” the pro- prietor remarked dryly. » ‘““ Then if they’s any objections as to how come this stranger was killed we can all explain and the blame won’t fall on nobody and there won’t be no vigilance committee Invitin’ us to look up some tree.” ‘“* But, Senor Trilles, I beg for you to. aim with care,” Juan Scaly put in. “I’m going to make a big fight with that gringo. And I desire, sezor, that you do not stop the fight by putting lead in my back.” ‘“T guess you guys can trust my hand,” said old Jug Trilles. ‘“And also that there gat of mine,” the proprietor added. ‘Aim straight, seiior,” said the Mexican. ‘“ Kill him and I am forever your slave!” NEXT WEEK.) MICLOOOK C©