Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 4, 1925 — page 82: what you’re looking at

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

872 It was as though he looked upon a wild and impossible vision: a thing of troubled dreams. CHAPTER XNYI. THE TEMPERAMENTAL THUNDERBOLT. HEY came down the steps to greet her, striding out over the yellow grasses in the sunlight with an effect of resentment which was implicit in their bulky bodies, their heavy, sullen tread. Hazel sat her saddle and Jooked down upon them. She discerned in Lederer’s eyes a dark mixture of baffled rage and wonder- ment. “So he sent you back with it!” he ex- claimed, endeavoring to cover his emotions with a sneer. “Tf you're talking of Thunderbolt,” she said. ‘ He allowed me to ride her out here. But I must take her back again.” Very easily she dismounted and, throwing the reins, turned to her uncle. “JT should think that Mr. Cosgrove would have taught you to use more sense,” she remarked pointedly. “What are ycu_ talkin’ snarled. ‘“ About Thunderbolt. For some mad reason you've let Cliff go raving around town trying to get a warrant against Brad, for stealing this horse. For stealing her’ You must be crazy!” Farley turned to Lederer at that, his face ablaze with ugly consternation. “ Stealin? Thunderbolt!” he rasped. “Good Godfrey! You didn’t tell me noth- in’ about Thunderbolt!” Lederer flashed back upon him like an Irritated animal. “Don’t be a fool!” he snapped. “ Can’t you see Hazey standing there with Thun- derbolt at her heels! Didn’t vou hear her Say it was Cosgrove let her ride him! How d’ vou suppose he got hold of the horse if he didn’t steal her!” But quite reasonably, Farley could not believe hun. ‘“ Ride Thunderbolt?” he roared. “ But there ain’t no man or woman in this State can ride Thunderbolt!” about?” he ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. “There is now,” said Hazel. quietly. ‘“And he didn't steal her, either. If you want to know how Brad Cosgrove came to possess Thunderbolt, Uncle Wert, it was through the idiocy of Cliff Lederer. Yes, idiocy!”’ she cned, cutting short Lederer’s attempt to snarl a protest. ‘ Or thick- headed crueity. You were crazy enough to believe that you could gather enough men to hang Cosgrove, and you might have suc- ceeded if 1t could have been done without them seeing him. Do you suppose any sane man could look on Mr. Cosgrove beside such a ruffian as you are, and hang him on vour evidence?” Lederer broke in upon her then with curses. “Shut up, Cliff!’? snapped Farley. “What's this got to do with the horse?’’ he demanded of the girl. ‘“ Everything. It was Cliff's high minded idea that he’d hang his man by putting him on Thunderbolt’s back with a rope ’round nis neck and Jet Thunderbolt throw him to his death!’ These words she brought out in a cold staccato, between teeth which were clenched with white hot contempt and anger. ‘‘ The manly touch!” she cried. Again Lederer would have interrupted her, but she swept on. “And then he showed how little he’s learned from the experience that put his arm ina sling. He dared Mr. Cosgrove to show that he was the equal of the men who met to hang him! Thunderbolt was out- side, anc Cosgroye proved then and there that he was the better man in the saddle, as well as in every other respect. [Fle mounted Tnunderbolt and rode her. After that he took her home and trained her. ** All Cliff can do is to make himself the laughing stock of Manford by trying to ac- cuse him of horse stealing. Horse steal- ing!” She laughed with real mirth in the face of Lederer’s anger. ‘‘ You mav not show up as much of a man, Cliff. but you're at least a funny one.” If Farley had not intervened, Lederer would have struck her for that. He plunged forward with his face purple and _ his clenched hand upraised, while she lifted her quirt to meet him. But Farley intervened with a short jab of his arm which jolted Gon GIOok