Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 116: what you’re looking at

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

906 Cattle Rustler’s Grave,” louder voice. Poisonous glances concentrated upen him from about the fire, but he ignored them with devastating effect. Dreamily regard- ing the faces of his camp mates, he sang on and on, warming up to his subject as he pro- ceeded and filling his dirge with fine feeling for its latent pathos. He had come to the point where, the rustler having been cor- nered and riddled with bullets, the vultures and coyotes descended upon their providen- tial food supply, when Menzies arose to his feet and addressed the four winds with in- tense feeling. “You come yere with yore guns and loud talkin’!” he cried, “ an’ make our lives hell on earth! You come yere. An’ J can’t stand for it! I can’t! You come yere with yore guns! I can’t say what I’m goin’ to do! 1 can’t stand it!” Vindictively, he kicked at the glowing embers, scattering live coals wildly over the landscape. Only a lightning action on Billy’s part saved the coffee pot from dis- aster. “Why, Sam,” reproved Billy. “ Don’t do that. You hang the kindlin’s all over the scenery.” “¥ can’t stand it!” cried Menzies wildly, and he sat down on a live coal. Menzies cursed vividly, filling the air with his protests. He sprang to his feet and with his heels tore up the ground. But the coal had been a vigorous and enterpris- ing coal, full of flaming life. Menzies cast himself upon his stomach and clawed at the seat of his trousers. Flat Head and Cree, springing to their jeader’s aid, pounded lustily and flat hand- ed upon the indicated region. They spanked Menzies with all their might until his howls, muffled by the earth into which Cree’s knee enforced his head, protested against their zeal rather than against the burning coal. Violently, he threw Thatcher from his shoulders, and twisted about to vent his wrath upon them both. He cursed them and libeled them in a fury from which all dignity was lost by virtue of the faet that he could not sit down, and did not try to stand. He writhed about on the ground like a puppy dog with a fresh cut tail, holding in a somewhat ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. tenaciously to the seat of the trouble with both his hands, When he finally settled himself into a comparatively comfortable position and set forth to tell Cree and Flat Head definitely what he thought of them, Billy was dis- covered to be settled luxuriously in his place, sipping a steaming cup of black “Me,” said Billy when the plaintive Menzies permitted him to speak. “I’m takin’ a contract to stay awake to-night. This coffee is good.” Somberly, the three rustlers ceased their private feud to gaze upon him. “Ti you’ve throwed out the rest of that coffee,” said Menzies Buea? “I s’pose you ain’t objectin’ to us usin’ our own coffee pot, likewise.” “I didn’t,” said Billy. “I’m tayin’ to drink at least three cups. If you sports want to keep awake, too, there ain't nothin’ to prevent you usin’ it. ; Menzies sat for a moment in bitter dig- nity, then, permitting reason to overcome his pride, he drew forth his tin cup and rudely took the coffee pot from Billy’s side. He filled his cup, and Flat Head and Thatcher followed suit. in silence the four men sat about the fire and drank the steam- ing brew. Billy finished first. “There ain’t but one more drink left,” sneered Menzies. “ Better have it. We'll cook more, an’ go on drinkin’ all ni¢ht.” Billy grinned broadly and finally gave voice to a laugh as Thatcher lifted up his cup to drain the contents. “T ain’t drinkin’ any more,” he smiled, and rose to his feet. - Menzies emptied his cup. ‘“ Huh?” he said, surprised. For Billy had placed one hand on the butt of his gun. ‘‘ Not out of that pot,” said Billy. Flat Head threw down his empty cup. “ It tasies rotten,” he announced. “Shore,” said Billy. “It’s loaded.” Menzies automatically dropped his hand to his side, but Billy reminded him with a word. “Don’t!” advised Billy. didn’t. “ Knockout drops,” Billy explained jovi- ally. “ The kid got ’em from Denker for his COMME OOKSsEO) And Menzies