Action-Packed Western Magazine, Vol. 3, No. 2 — page 77: what you’re looking at

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

THE CRIMSON COUP STICK his buffalo rug with the sharp tip of a feathered lance. Captain Keel felt his "arms yanked behind his back and the : -eut of a thin rawhide bite into his wrists. Then he was jammed against the bodies and shunted into the cold air. He gulped a big breath of the sparkling air before he was jerked through another opening and found himself, with Conrad Bard at his side, facing seven men in the smoky skin hung tent. A fire, its white smoke being sucked — toward a hole at the apex of the ridge poles, lighted the darkly forboding faces of the chiefs. Sagsawan, brawny arms uncovered, folded across his huge glistening chest. A brutal scar, goug- ing its course across one eye, gave him a forbidding scowl. His lips were wet, like a man who has just finished a vi- brant harangue. Bleeding Arm, smooth face hiding his thoughts, was on his feet. His wast- ed torso, boney under a skin shirt, made him appear the smallest man in the room. But the wrinkled forehead, and the squinting eyes sunk below the wide forehead, told Captain Keel that Bleeding Arm was not a man who had been bested. Conrad Bard sensed that the old chief was fighting for control of the other chiefs. Their aged faces were doubtful, their eyes darting between Sagsawan and Bleeding Arm. “Captain!” Bleeding Arm spoke halting English. “Our chiefs say you die!” “Your chiefs,” the captain’s voice was steady, “are dishonored. We have come to treaty. My sergeant me been killed, . Bicediag Arm spread his ‘seeds: tt is our law, - You die, = the crazy one. ees Then ‘kill us by the gun. By your hand.” Captain Keel heard his words as sone they came from outside him- crazy one...” comiieed ee Bleeding Arm, but Captain Keel shout- : ed angrily, ward, “You see but one here—he sees another. Beside him, his blood brother “The crazy one is two _ men!” He pushed Conrad Bard for- stands, His brother speaks through his ips.” The squatting chiefs stiffened. Bleeding Arm let his eyes run around the cirele. His smooth lids dropped over his eyes, “And what does his shadow brother say?” “From the land behind the sun,” Captain Keel replied, facing Bard and desperate hope laced his words, “let the words of your shadow brother. come through!” Bees, AD sence! haltingly forward, his face a grotesque mask. “Teb Riley speaks—now listen.’”’ His voice became a bubbling chant. “Until the Arapaho dishonor has been cleaned— the land behind the sun will be closed to all. The dead shall rot on the plains —their shadows will be caught in the roots of the sage...” Bard’s face glis- tened, his sick eyes moved in a lized : circle, then stopped and rested on the face of Sagsawan. The chief next to him leaned away, covering his eyes. - They all waited, but Conrad stared fixedly, a wooden man, his body pos- sessed by the shadow of his dead part- ner. Captain Keel stared as Bleeding Arm questioned gently. “How is the honor of the Arapaho to be cleaned?” “Take the pistol of the captain—my shadow will pass into you...’ Bard’s lips moved but his feverish eyes were fixed on the frozen face of Sagsawan. The smoke of the fire seemed to part as Bleeding Arm held out a thin hand and the pistol was pushed into it. His eyes were lidded as he cocked the heavy weapon, holding it with both hands. His arms raised and he turned | slowly. His thin body straightened un- _ til he was as woodenly stiff as Bard. _ The yawning muzzle passed over the heads of the eoyiti<(sreve) Tats)