Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 123: what you’re looking at

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

THE LAUGHING RIDER. “No!” she cried. “It isn’t your man, constable! He isn’t!” “‘ Shore he is, my love!” yelled Billy in high glee. “I saw him go up the Bitter Grass Coulee toward the Redstone trail.” She reproved him with a look. “* Show me where it is?” cried Willis. ** Come on!” The two men raced for their horses, and in a trice Billy was holding a prancing Con- cho in, while Willis galloped through the barnyard gate. ‘“ Back for dinner, ma!” yelled Billy. CHAPTER XXIV. HARE AND HOUND. HEY rode together as far as the first T trail, which Billy conceived would ~ lead the redcoat farthest from any- where in particular, and then parted. _“ About three hours ago,” explained Billy, pointing out the tenuous and ob- scure pathway, “I saw this hombre sort of slinking up thataway. If you go on, you'll find that trail leads to Redstone.” Willis thanked him and galloped off. “ Don’t thank me!” yelled Billy after him. “ It hurts!” Then he turned Concho back to the ranch again. The widow scolded him severe- ly and with great good humor for his fool- hardy impersonation, and Billy heaped coals of fire upon her in the form of the pony he had captured in the night.” “Now Smed can ride them horses to delivery,” he explained. It further developed that Smed could also have brought back some needed supplies for the ranch, only that there was nothing to purchase them with. Billy thereupon over- came the scruples of the independent and high spirited little woman by placing the roll of bills, which he had won at the can reading contest, under the saddle of the captured pony. “Tf you should accidental like take orf that there saddle when you get to the store, young feller,” he confided to Smedley, “you might get rich. An’ if you do get rich, just bring back whatever grub or fix- in’s yore ma’s in need of.” 749 “TI don’t know what you mean,” said the practical youth. “Well, don’t brag about it. Just be sure an’ take orf that saddle when you get to the store.” Billy gave the boy further advice as to the management of horses, saw him on his way, and then sat on the kitchen porch with legs adangle, to consider his own im- mediate future. He was now penniless. Also it would be well for him to become scarce and in- conspicuous. Regarding the first problem, he bethought himself of Mr. Nicholas Tazewell’s I. O. U. He had it in his vest pocket, and it entitled him to collect from that gentleman the sum of one hundred and twenty-seven dollars and fifteen cents. He then dwelt upon that proposition in its relation to the second, and the words of Constable Willis recurred to him: “The men are riding in from every post in the district, combing the country for him.” That meant that every post in the dis- trict would that day be without a mounted policeman. Also it meant to Billy that the particular avenue which led to Sleepy River would be clear of any other rider than Su- pernumerary Constable Flynn, for it was not probable that MacQuillan would return to Sleepy River before joining the hunt. Therefore, the trail to Sleepy River was not merely the way to that one hundred and twenty-seven dollars and fifteen cents, but it was, moreover, the safest avenue of escape through the encircling hunt. He mounted once more. “Ma,” said Billy, “I’m taking a little ride.”’ Dreading the return of Willis, she had hoped he would do so earlier. “Take these,” she said, and handed a package of provender up to him. ‘ Don’t get wet, or be reckless. And remember to come home when you can.” ** [ll remember,” he said. As he started for the gate his agile mind leaped suddenly upon a highly important matter, and he stopped to take it up with Mrs. MacKreagh. ““Smed could be whitewashing the bars of that corral, while I’m gone,” he said. “Why on earth?” EMPMIGLOOCKS5(6O)