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. “Ts there anything ye have done in the past to make it desirable for you to be here if Argent comes?” he asked. = All for the best, Supernumerary Con- stable Flynn would have warned his su- perior. But he did it tactlessly. “But out at the Savardé place,” he pro- tested, “ there were three of you!” Although the expression of the sergeant’s face did not alter, Flynn perceived with dismay that he had not put the thing tact- fully. ‘““T mean he always gets the best of it,” he faltered. The cold gaze of the sergeant did not waver. “Go on,” he urged ominously. ‘“ Go on. Say what ye have in yer mind.” “J mean that if he’s coming to-night— I thought you’d maybe like me to be near and—” “To be near!” thundered the sergeant then. ‘‘To be near? What for do I want ye near? Te hold my hand, is it? To see that I come to no harm? You who let go the man out of the palm of yer hand, as a bairn would drop a lizard when it moves. I tell ye when I have important things on foot I’d as lief have a zany about as you!” “But two are better than one,” observed Flynn miserably. He yearned for the cour- age to remind MacQuillan again of the great cushion fight, but he was not equal to it. “I might just stand by,” he con- cluded. “Ve'’d best stand off, laddie,” advised the sergeant. “Get you into the settle- ment and enjoy yerself. For ye’ll need all yer faculties if we have to do guard this night. I have ample means for taking care of any visitors that may come.” Inasmuch as the sergeant had by this time ushered him to the door and now awaited his exit to pass through him- self, Supernumerary Constable. Flynn felt constrained to go. MacQuillan followed him out and stood complacently upon the porch watching the youthful policeman walk away to the settlement. “Tt ‘ll be a great surprise for the laddie if Argent brings the man in,” he assured himself. And, somehow, in the light of the autumn afterglow, it seemed more probable 8A 913 that the Texan might fulfill his boast. MacQuillan was suddenly amazed at his unreasonable optimism. ‘A great surprise for me, if it comes to that,”? he reminded himself. For out of a wide experience he knew that it was one thing to bring in the cattle that the thief had stolen; it was another to bring in the thief himself, Still, Billy had done wonders at the Sa- vardé homestead—Staff Sergeant MacQuil- lan blushed. ‘The young devil!” he re- ferred warmly to the departed Flynn. ‘‘* There were three of us,’ indeed! What’s the force coming to when a feckless bairn can talk to a sergeant like that!” He turned and strode into the orderly room, where he partook of fine cut tobacco and sat in his armchair to chew it. The afterglow faded and, with it, the hopes of Staff Sergeant MacQuillan. “It’s improbable,” he informed himself. “Highly improbable.” | Whereupon the door opened and Smiling Billy Argent ap- peared. Billy was to all appearances stripped for action. He was hatless and coatless. His trim flannel shirt was open at the throat, and otherwise so clung to his torso as to show the fine, useful lines of his chest and shoulders to great advantage. His sleeves, rolled up above the elbow, displayed a pair of strong and straight forearms that -en- dowed their owner with a remarkable at- mosphere of physical readiness, Also, the absence of coat, and the tight gathering of shirt, notably emphasized the fact that Billy carried a gun. It hung upon one hip, and Billy’s right hand, at rest, hovered just below the butt of it. He pre- sented an admirable and handsome spec- . tacle, and MacQuillan felt glad that he no lenger had to regard this man as a quarry. Billy, having entered without warning, stood in the doorway and regarded the ser- geant with a wide and animated grin. “Good evenin’, admiral,” he said. The sergeant stood up. ‘Good evening,” he replied. ‘“T drew in through the back,” Billy in- formed him. ‘‘ Thought you’d like to haye this visit sort of quiet and informal.” “ That was thoughtful of ye,” acknowl- Comicoooks CO