Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 151: what you’re looking at

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

doubtful shelter of a cottonwood shrub and wiped the dust and sweat out of his eyes. The shimmering strip of yellow sand before him, dividing twin rows of ramshackle, unpainted houses, was the main street of Banter Flats. Not a soul was in sight. The town was not deserted, however. They were merely keeping out of sight until he had gone. They were afraid. Afraid of him. He grinned, squared his heavy shoulders, tipped the dilapidated derby at a rakish angle over one eye, adjusted the pearl handled gun in its holster and plodded on, holding with difficulty to the center of the rutted roadway. Hushed voices sounded from behind closed shutters as he passed. Hidden eyes peered out at him. Outwardly, he scowled fiercely. Nearing his destination, which was Squint Dugan’s place, his blurred eyes discovered B cost KEEVER stopped within the By HOWARD E. MORGAN Tp aea Ag OL a he ae, / i f a woman in a white dress coming toward him along the board sidewalk. She was. still some distance away. His eyes had been playing him tricks ever since he left the sheep herder with the home made whis- ky. ‘This, no doubt, was another illusion, — Still, that woman did look like Mrs. Keever. The same confident stride, the same red hair. He slipped ponderously behind an unpainted shack that jutted out into the roadway. A little girl appeared, schoolbooks on a strap dangling from a brown arm. - “ Hey, Sissy!” He beckoned her. She came timidly toward him. Looked him over from head to foot. “ Yow’re drunk,” she announced, He nodded solemnly. ‘ Yeah, sure enough. But listen, Sissy—that there woman—know her?” He aimed a thick fore- finger waveringly. “That isn’t a woman, ‘That’s Squint 401 | (E@) “S (E(8) michboo ™