Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 56: what you’re looking at

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

his forehead so closely resembled a star that ~ the livery stable owner nodded his head. approvingly when he heard Cameron men- tion the name: ‘“ White Star.’ The livery stable owner observed that the. horse liked Cameron; and his own manner toward Cameron grew more friendly.. He also observed that the saddle had been much used; that it was a cow saddle with long skirts, one of which contained a rifle holster. “He ain’t so damned much of a tender- foot, after all!’’ was his mental observation. “Tm bettin’ he could ride some of 1 sagebrush rummies off their legs! The1 a : you look at him the better you like him. Cameron’s light, tropical serge clot 1ing g for many years. had gone into his trunk, as also had ihe: white, soft shirt, the tie and the collar which _had been so greatly envied by Kerslake, of the Merchant’s Board; Khaki trousers now -adorned Cameron’s legs, and puttees of dull leather—also much worn—reached from his glistening tan shoes to a point just below the knees. A brown shirt, with patch pockets much in evidence, appeared to have been made to measure; as did a coat of brown corduroy— also with patch pockets—which was just long enough to conceal a narrow belt and ~-ablocky, sinister looking leather holster con- had jerked out of taining a heavy, blue steel automatic pistol. He wore the hat he had bought in Ransome, The morning after the arrival of White Star, Cameron was up early to ride the black horse southward. He wished to take another look at the land he had bought— and his inactivity since arriving in Ransome irked him. There was something in Ransome’s lethargic atmosphere that irritated him. He saw where the town might be im- proved; where there were opportunities to establish important utilities which would re- sult in much good to the town’s people. ‘Jt did not astonish him that the well-to-do people of Ransome hadn’t taken advantage of their opportunities; this was not the first town in which the business element lacked initiative. It was not the first town that he somnolence. He'd “make” Ransome as he had made other towns. But t fora few days he’d have to De ‘idle. = ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY, - Half a mile from the edge of town he passed close te a two story frame pbuilding : oi ramshackle appearance. The building stood at the edge of a narrow road which appeared to wind aimlessly over the un- dulating land. There was a hitching rack in front of the structure, and a long, low veranda upon which there were several chairs and benches. A crude sign, swung from the eaves of the veranda, bore the legend: KELLY’S CATTLEMEN’S BAR. There was no denying that the building + was old; it had a look of having been there It seemed to Cameron’s eyes to be more aged than the “ Trail House,” in Ransome. Its founder may have dreamed that a town would one day grow up around it. But Ransome had grown away from it. The green-brown section of upland stretch- ing between the old building and the nearest of the town’s structures, completely isolated the “‘ Cattlemen’s Bar;” gave it a forlorn appearance, swathed it in an matangphere of desolation. Cameron sat for : a time on White Star, interestedly looking at the building: A small space between the front of the structure and the road was level and ¢lear, but upon both sides and in the rear were piles of refuse, empty bottles, tin cans, beer kegs in pyramids; empty whisky bar- rels, ashes, broken boxes scattered untidily about. In Cameron’s fancy the building made an ugly blot on the face of nature. It seemed a derelict which had been blown to its present position by an idle wind. It did not seem to be a part of Ransome, and it certainly did not belong on the bosom of. the majestic land on which it sat. Moreover, the dilapidated affair was on his land. He made sure of that while he sat on White Star. By consulting the blue print he had brought with him, which contained a description of the land, he was able to determine that the building ap- peared to stand almost in the center of the strip which extended from the _ railroad track in Ransome to the point southward, where the boundaries broadened. EComireboo SiaCO)