Action-Packed Western Magazine, Vol. 3, No. 2 — page 60: what you’re looking at

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

66 “T was thinkin’ of sensei! else,” Bart admitted, sheepishly. “That was plumb evident,” Speck growled, with a meaning glance at the girl. “But this ain’t no Lovers’ Lane. Mebbe it would be better for you to do your sparkin’ somewheres where—” “Pardon me,” she interrupted, flush- ing. “But absolutely no ’sparkin’ was being done. However, I think your sug- gestion is a very good one. I still have a few things to tell Mr. Lyons. Per- haps it would be better to do our talk- ing over there where I left my horse.” She turned and worked her way through the brush, soon taking to a dim cattletrail that led to an open glade where a saddled horse greeted her with a low whinney of delight. Bart had fol- lowed at her heels, Speck coming along behind, grumbling beneath his breath all the way. After patting the little black mare’s - neck caressingly, she drew a toy watch from her shirt pocket and glanced at it. “My! Past nine! I’ve been gone two. hours. I must go in at once, or they'll be out searching for me. “First, though, Ill tell you men hur: riedly what I know.” She leaned against the mare’s glossy withers, toying ab- stractedly with a wisp of its mane as she went on: “Fox is a crook, black- guard, murderer—of that Pm con- vinced.” “We lived at Lincoln. Father died, leaving Mother our home and fifty thousand in securities. Fox met us at a reception, and fascinated Mother, at once. Not that she fell in love with him, but she—well, he seemed rich, he un- doubtedly was handsome, and she— “Wanted him for you,” Bart sup-_ plied, when she hesitated. “Yes, that’s it. She fairly threw me at hint. "Also, she practically forced me to come up here when he began trying to induce her to buy this ranch.” Soe 2 son-of-a-gun,” Speck comment- ed, commencing to look at the gr with less hostility. “ACTION-PACKED WESTERN | “Mother had her bonds irate: — | and is ready to close the deal,” she went on. “But I’m convinced that he means to cheat her, and I’m almost certain that he intends to murder her, after getting her money.” From which I deduce that. you're | kinda suspicious of Fox,” Speck said, sitting down cross-legged and com- mencing to roll a much-desired smoke. “T have a right to be suspicious,” she declared. “I have exceptionally good ears, and have heard the men talk.” She looked at the watch again and commenced untying the mare. “T have only time to tell you this much: “Fox kas murdered people and caused people to be murdered. He is getting ready to get out of this coun- try as soon as he has made the final ‘clean-up’—whatever is meant by that. “And he is holding someone a pris- oner over there beyond that ridge across from where I met you two—has held him there for years. “Now I must go.” Bart leaped to assist her, but she already had vaulted lightly into sad- dle. She twitched the rein, and the good little mare surged down the woods trail. A wave of the girl’s hand where the timber thickened eee her, and she was gone. Ake STOOD gaping at the spot where Margaret had disappeared. “Some girl!” he gulped, admiringly. “Some girl an’ then some!” “Did you-hear-what-she-said?” Speck asked, jerkily. He rose slowly, his face ashen. ‘Been holdin’ a prisoner for years,” he muttered, dazedly. “Loaded hosses, unloaded hosses: load- — ed an’ unloaded mules. — “C’mon, Son, le’s go to camp. I can almost piece this thing together so it makes sense, an’ still 1 can’t quite. _ “We gotta give this thing one great ‘big thinkin’ over, then spit on our bands an’ wade in.’ QO CO eeicboo! E