Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 155: what you’re looking at

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

AN ENGAGEMENT IN TRINIDAD. The stranger leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. ‘I still claim though, he’s clever. Yet, they’s always one weak spot in the best of them: He’s going to get caught seeing that girl of his in Trini- dad.” “Tm not so sure about that either. She’s got a pretty good head of her own.” The driver pulled a plug from his pocket, brushed the dust from its gnawed edges and then took a prodigious chew. When it had found a comfortable bed in his mouth, “ You know more about this fellow’s busi- ness,” he said, ‘‘than anybody I seen. Where’d you get all your information?” “TI work up at Red McDonald’s place at Las Palmas. The gang used to come in there, and I guess the chief took a liking to me. When he’d had a few drinks he got confidential.” A gleam of intelligence lighted the wiz- ened face of the owner of the buckboard. He scratched his head and examined the other perplexedly. “That’s most in- terestin’,” he said, “ but I can’t quite get it clear why I never met you before. Red McDonald’s is one of my favorite saloons.” “T just helped out once in a while in the evenings. Probably I was off when you happened to be there.” Now the driver absorbedly studied his new acquaintance who looked back, ques- tioning. ‘‘ Excuse me,” said the stranger, “for staring at you this way, but you look surprisin’ly like a brother of mine who went out to the Coast.” “They say there’s a double for every- body in the world,” the other answered. In- differently he strained sand through his fin- _gers, and a reply formed on the driver’s lips. Then, of a sudden a road runner skimmed and whirred past, within a foot of the rick- ety buckboard. The stranger grabbed the reins of his frightened horse, and from un- der his denim jacket there was a flash of nickel plate. The man looked up with a start as the deputy confusedly buttoned his coat. For a minute they stared at each other, wondering how much the other knew. Then: “Weren’t you goin’ to say something when that road runner disturbed you?” asked the chief. oll “Yes, I was wondering why you didn’t — grab some of those fellows hanging up there. Didn’t you know they was worth a thousand bucks apiece?” The chief looked toward his horse which was now stripping the leaves from its sec- ond shrub. “I don’t believe in double- crossing,” he said. ‘““Hm-m,” said the deputy. “‘ That seems to me like pretty close figurin’, I think I’d rather be in Jim Smith’s shoes, I under- stand he used to belong to Terry’s gang, but now he’s got four grand cold, just for pointin’ out the old mine where they hung out.” The eyes of the chief narrowed. His re- ply embraced the whole family of Slippery Smith. ““T take it you don’t care much for Jim Smith?” A buzzard, with its dusty, ragged wings and ugly red head, alighted a short distance off and gaped evilly at the tree. “ He beat me on a horse trade once,” said the chief. “From what J’ve seen of Slippery Smith the only thing /e ever did straight was shootin’.”’ “You got to admit though he’s fond of horses. He’d be crazy about your pinto there.” “Yes,” said Terry, “I suppose hyenas have their good.points, too.” He rose and walked sidewise toward his horse. The deputy gathered his reins. “You might meet Jim if you’re goin’ toward the cross roads. I just saw him at the blacksmith’s when I left Las Palmas.” “ T’ll try not to let it spoil my evening.” Terry mounted and walked his horse alongside the buckboard. “Well, so long. Hope I see you some time at Red’s.” “ Thanks,” answered Terry, “ but I been located at Trinidad lately. If you’re ever over that way look me up.” The deputy awakened his drooping horse, and after watching him until he was out of range Terry galloped off in the opposite direction. Il. As he approached the cross road from Las Palmas Terry Se comicbooks tenth