Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 124, No. 3 — page 137: what you’re looking at

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

BING, BANG, BOOM! any sting. He’s like a fly: he worries you a lot, but he can’t really hurt you. When I get that power-house built, his hotel won't be worth a damn. We begin work on that first thing to-morrow, and we'll rush it through. All he can do now is talk, and when we get Newbury in there, [ll soon stop that. ‘“In the meanwhile we’ve got to keep these scared rats of yours from scampering to the four winds. That’s up to you. You’ve got to keep up their confidence in me, and keep them believing that I’m high Jack and game.” Bidwell smiled. ‘ You are,” he said ad- miringly. ~ “Make them believe it, anyway,” re- peated Turner. “I'll tell you what you do,”” he added suddenly. ‘ Get the board together about noon to-morrow and bring the bunch out to the power-house site. [ll be out there with some surveyors, laying out the ground. Showing them the power- house actually getting under way ought to help a lot; and besides, it ‘ll keep them from hearing too much and talking too much.”’ “Not a bad idea,” Bidwell agreed. ‘¢ We'll make a little ceremony of it. Ill give a speech, and we'll let each one of the damn fools turn a shovelful o’ dirt. Il bring ’em out about eleven.” At the edge of the clearing on Prospect Hill, Bert drew rein and looked about him. In the field that adjoined his own property, he saw eight or ten men at work, several with surveyors’ instruments, others with mallets, pegs and wire tape; and his search- ing eyes soon picked out Turner, who was standing off to one side, watching the men at their tasks. He left his buggy and strode swiftly to- _ ward the man he was seeking, lightly vault- ing the low fence that separated his land from Turner’s. At: his approach, Turner looked up. quickly, and the momentary frown of wonderment gave way at once to the bland smile that was Turner’s ever- ready mask. “Good morning, Boom,” he greeted. “ Did you come out to see the power-house get under way?” _ His tone as well as his words was mock- ing. Bert could scarcely refrain from pro- ceeding with the pleasurable: business of pummelling that derisive smile from the man’s face while he made those preliminary remarks that he thought to be consistent with fair play. “ Turner,” said Bert, getting at once to the point. “I just found out that you brought that fellow Blake to the Chamber of Commerce dance last month, and I also found out what you brought him up there for.” Turner started slightly, but though his eyes narrowed calculatingly as he watched his accusor, the smile did not leave his lips. An instant was all he required to gain full cognizance of the situation. Some one, he decided, had told Bert the truth about Pa- prika. Besides himself, there were but three persons who knew the truth, and one of them—Paprika—was dead. He elimi- nated the sheriff, too; for he had recently whispered something -into Warren’s ear that had put fear into his heart. Bert’s informer, then, must have been the boy, Amos, whom he had discovered eavesdropping outside his office door. He recalled having seen the youth ride past him that morning and, later, go into the Palace Hotel, where he had remained an unusually long time. - The fact that Bert knew of his dealings with Paprika gave him no concern. Selma he enjoyed an immunity from ‘the law that was almost exterritorial. But there was that in the young man’s eyes that told him that Bert did not intend to have recourse to the law. In fact, he did not need perception to arrive at that conclu- sion; for Bert immediately made plain to him what his intentions were. ‘““T came out here to thrash you for it, Turner,” said Bert evenly. ‘I’ve been aching to do it ever since I came to Selma, and now I’m going to give you the licking of your life. Take off your coat if you want to, because I’m going to begin in less than half a minute.” This story will be concluded in next week's issue of the ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY, the consolidated title under which both magazines will appear hereafter as HGH PLS] ‘611 In- UN S Colin