Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 124, No. 3 — page 41: what you’re looking at

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

THE STRAY-MAN, for the girl to speak, expecting her to recog- nize the man as her father. The eager exclamation for which Shorty waited did not come. The girl was silent; and Shorty knew the man was not her father. Shorty was about to speak, when the girl’s voice came, with a note of un- doubted belligerence: “Tim Blandell, did father send you to look for me?” The man cruckled deeply. In the sound was heavy derision. ‘“‘ So you’re here—eh?” he said. ‘ Well, I thought I’d find you here. There’s some- body with you—eh? I’m askin’ permission to let my hands down—this position ain’t In no ways comfortable.” ‘Keep ’em up!” lvised Shorty tersely. “Seems to me I heard the lady askin’ a question. I’d answer it before I got to tak- in’ liberties with a stranger’s hospitality.” “ The lady’s got company—eh?” mocked the other. “I didn’t expect that—for a fact. Speakin’ straight—an’ to the lady,” he added, with sarcastic emphasis—‘“ your dad didn’t send me to look for you, though when I left the Circle Star he was mighty upset because you hadn’t come in. I’d rode over, to find him complainin” about that knee he hurt last summer, an’ worryin’ about you. I told him I’d nose around. “Your dad said you’d rode west. five miles northeast I run into your hoss. That was a while ago. By followin’ his tracks I come to where he’d throwed you; an’ then I trailed you here, knowin’ you’d be after. water.” | ‘And my horse?”’’ The girl’s voice was challenging. “ Why didn’t you bring him?” ‘‘ Lame,” said the man shortly. There was a note of insincerity in his voice, de- tected by Shorty, who instantly conceived a dislike for the man, though he had not yet seen his face. The insincerity was noted by the girl also. _ ©“ Billy wasn’t lame when he left me,” she declared; “ he ran away fast enough.” The man laughed. “ Well, things don’t always stay the way we leave them, I reckon. Billy’s left fore-hoof looked as though he might have twisted it on a rock. He was headin’ toward the Circle Star—an’ About — 415 I didn’t stop him. My hoss will carry two.” Shorty could not see the girl’s face, but he felt her turn toward him; heard the rus- tle of her skirts as she stepped up to him. He stood rigid as he felt the girl’s hand. on his arm, and heard her voice, whispering In his ear: “Mr. Nelson, I am afraid of Blandell. If it isn’t too much trouble, I’d rather ride home with you.” There it was again—evidence of the girl’s trust in him. Men had trusted Shorty— men like Kane Lawler and his old friend Larry Dillon— and he had known what such trust meant. Nor could he deny that he knew what was meant by the girl’s con- fidence in him. He would never abuse it. He yielded, however, to the thrill that surged through him; and he stood for an instant, his muscles leaping, his heart pounding hard with delight. He kept his voice low, though; and the leap in it was barely noticeable. And he spoke—to her—in a whisper: “Tf that’s the way you feel, ma’am, I reckon you'll go home with me.” And then his lips set with a humorous grin, for he had been afraid the girl would choose to go with the stranger. He left the girl’s side and walked some distance toward the newcomer, so that his low voice carried to the other. ‘You're Tim Blandell, eh? Well, Blan- dell, I reckon you’ve made a mistake in your hoss.” “Meanin’?” gruffly said the other. _ ~ “ Meanin’ that he don’t look a heap strong—not near powerful enough to carry two—especially when one is a woman.” “Meanin’ that she’s choosin’ to ride with your” came Blandell’s voice. ‘“ Meanin’ the other way round, Blandell. } She’s some undecided, bein’ partial to your style of beauty. But I’m pressin’ my case, havin’ first call. The lady is ridin’ with me, an’ I ain’t yearnin’ a heap for no other company. I reckon that ought to make it . mighty plain to you.” There was a short silence. Then came Blandell’s voice, burdened with rage un- mistakable: “Yes,” he said; ‘ that makes it mighty GOMLGDOO (CO