Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 18, 1928 — page 148: what you’re looking at

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

946 “ Sure, Allen Brown, my lawyer. Don’t you remember?” “Oh, yes, of course.” Jim smiled. So the girl’s fiancé was his own lawyer. Mentally, he made the usual observation about its being a small world. Then, very seriously, he turned back to his father. “ By the way, dad, what is the news?”’ But he scarcely needed to ask. For at his question, the old rancher could not con- ceal the pain in his eyes. His voice grew husky. “ The case came up, yesterday—and we lost.” For a long moment, the men exchanged mute, understanding glances. Then, finally, Jim roused himself. “ Well, dad, soon’s this leg’s all right, reckon I can start cow punchin’.” His father nodded. “ And I’m not so old, myself.” He drew himself up. Tears sprang to Jim’s eyes. And he re- affirmed his observation of the day of the Parada—that the West would never pass. Never, certainly, while there were men with the grit and determination of his father. iif. Tue girl came in the next day, as she had promised. And to Jim, in his present sad- ness, she was a radiant vision. For it oc- curred to him that with a girl like this for a pal, a man needn’t care what fortune held in store. Elizabeth Worth took his hand warmly. “Tm afraid this'll have to be good-by,” she said, her blue eyes smiling. “ I’d hoped to be around in time to see you on your feet, but Allen’s so impatient. Thinks we ought to go East right away and get married.” Jim grinned. “Can’t say that I blame him,” he said frankly. A quick flush mounted to Elizabeth’s face. “ Vou see, I’ve put him off twice.” She drew up a chair to sit alongside the bed. “Promise me, though, that you won’t go into any more rodeos.” His lips puckered in amusement. ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. ‘Guess I won’t have time for awhile. Got to get me a job as soon as I’m out of here. You see, dad and I had a nice little fruit ranch until that leech, James Morton, got his filthy hands on it.” ‘“James Morton!” exclaimed the girl. “Why, do you know who he is?” ‘Sure I know who he is,” said Jim, his anger rising in spite of himself. “ He’s president of the Southwestern Copper Com- pany, and the man who swindled us out of our ranch.” Elizabeth _ rose. strong word.” ‘Well, it amounted to that; you see—” He saw suddenly that Elizabeth’s eyes were blazing. She stamped her foot ‘“‘ James Morton’s the soul of honor and justice He never swindled anybody out of anything. He’s—he’s my uncle.” Without another word, she left the room, slamming the door as she went. For a long second, Jim gazed after her, still uncomfortably conscious that in her anger she had been very beautiful. Then, gradually, it came back to hin— a man of about fifty trying to help her out of the way of the charging horse. The scene returned to him now, with details which had remained submerged in his sub- conscious memory. He should have associated the girl with Morton before this. And he might have, had not her companionship with Allen Brown sent him off on the wrong track. He stopped suddenly, his heart sinking. She—Morton’s niece—was engaged to Al. ‘ Swindle’s rather a len Brown. And Allen Brown had been his father’s lawyer! No wonder they’d lost the case. No wonder Brown had come out to the ranch, soliciting their suit so eagerly. Little things which had jarred at the time, only to be passed over now returned in a dev- astating flood. He was able to merge all the variant cross-currents. Morton had sent one of his own men out —his niece’s fiancé, so that there could be no possibility of losing the law suit! In other words, he and his father had never had a chance. They had heen framed from the start. Gomichooks (EO)