Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 4, 1925 — page 131: what you’re looking at

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

SENOR JINGLE BELLS. Peggy. By God, there is one woman in the world, and no more. There is one woman in the world, and that is vou, Peggy! “ D’you hear me? You are free from your promise. You are perfectly safe and free! I give you up and all the claim that I had upon you, which was never any real hold at all.” “ Young man, voung man!” exclaimed the minister, ‘‘ who will say that- there is no power in prayer or that I have not been heard by our Father? As for vou, John Albert, you will live to bless the day—”’ ‘“‘ Qld fool,” said this irreverent youngster, ‘will you be quiet’ Peggy, I want you to understand before I leave you. It is not fear of those dolts and clods outside the door. They are nothing to me. A million of them could not keep me from marrying you. ‘ But it is because I love you, dear. I Jove you with such a great heart and will to own you freely, that I could not touch so much as the hem of your skirt without your willingness. Only this once, Peggy—this last time—to hold you close, to dream for an instant that you are mine —so, good-by!”’ He sprang back from her. The shout of the sheriff was beating through the wall: ‘ Jingle-Bells, we've made up our minds to the sacrifice. You may wound one or two of us—you may even ki!] one or two of us—but it’s not to be said that Glory- ville was ever bluffed back by one man. We’re going to break down that door, man. which is just in front of us here, and after we get inside, we're going to tear you to pieces if you've pulled a trigger. Do you understand mer”’ ‘« Sheriff,” cried Jingle- Bells, '‘ if you try it, this room is going to run blood. [ warn you!” “Ts that finale” “Tt is!” ‘‘ Then—God have mercy on you, Jingle- Bells, because we'll have none! Boys, will you stand by me? Are you ready to take a hand?” ‘““ Keep back, sheriff,” came the strong. young voice of Hugh Nichols. ‘ You're an old man—very nearly. This is the work for young men like me. Fellows, we’re 921 going to smash that door flat. Get ready. Give it vour shoulders as you hit it—the pad of your shoulder muscles! It ’ll have to go down—are you ready?” ‘““ Ready!” At that the gun spoke from the hand of FE] Cantor. It was answered by a shout as the human avalanche outside struck the door mightily. But the whir of the bullet had broken the ranks of the living battering ram, so it seemed, and the shock lacked solidity. So that although the door groaned, and there was the sharp creak of a half broken hinge, it did not quite give way. ‘No one hurt—he’s shooting wild—re- member, boys, he has no light to see by. Try that door again, and when it goes down, remember—no guns! There’s a wom- an in that room—we’ll take FE] Cantor with our bare hands—and then we’ll break his neck for him!” A hand found the arm of E] Cantor. ‘“ John,” she said, ‘ call out to them that you surrender—they’ll murder you other- wise—they mean it—Hugh Nichols is a terrible fighting man—surrender—John!” She raised her voice: “ Hugh! Hugh! He has surrendered!” . ‘““ Let me hear him say it!” cried Nichols. ‘You'll hear me, damn you,” responded El Cantor calmly. ‘“ But vou'll hear noth- ing else. Touch that door again and you’re a dead man, Nichols.” “Do you give me that dare?” cried Nichols outside the door. ‘‘ Man, if there were ten like you I’d never take it—are you ready, friend?” But E] Cantor was at the door first, and a twist of the kev freed the bolt of the lock. Then he stepped back. “Hugh!” cried Margaret Swain. “ He's one man against all of vou!” ‘* Let him mind himself!” answered Nich- ols. ‘‘ All together!” They struck the door and, braced as they were for a heavy shock, when it flew open before them without the slightest rub of resistance, four men shot through the door way and sprawled heavily unon the floor. And two more, just behind them, who had started to follow the rush, checked them- selves too late and flundered into the kick- ing mass of feet and legs. lDOOlK