Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 18, 1928 — page 21: what you’re looking at

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

BLUE of moisture in her eyes, and Cherry went to Betty and put an arm around her. ‘* The trouble is, Betty,” she said, “ that you're not hard enough for this sort of life. And then again, you’re too new to it and too young to stand it. But, cheer up, kid! Maybe some big rancher ’II fall for you and give you a wedding ring and a cottage with roses climbing the veranda, and all that stuff you read about and never hope to get.” ‘““'You’re a peach, Cherry,” the younger girl said, “‘ and you’ve been very decent to me. But you can’t cheer me up to-night, and there’s no use trying. I’m tired and worn out, that’s all.” Terence Burke, after leaving the dress- ing room of Lily, his wife, had gone back to the box office. It was nearing eight o’clock now, and the performance was scheduled to commence at eight fifteen. A few people had straggled through the little lobby, but it began to appear as if the population of Lariat was not going to turn out in any great numbers to be entertained by ‘‘ The Grass Widows.” “T reckon it’s an off night,” said the owner of the theater complacently. He already had pocketed his guarantee, and he always maintained the philosophical at- titude of a gambler toward such additional earnings as he might derive from_per- centage. Burke’s face fell a little, the fur- rows in his aging cheeks became a little deeper and more drawn, and his faded blue eyes had the haunted look of a cornered animal, : Just then there came down the lobby the sound of hilarious laughter and the clicking of the high-heeled boots that cow-punchers wear. Then a bow-legged, tan-faced young fellow swaggered up to the wicket and looked in with a grinning face. “To, Steve,” he said to the owner of the theater. ‘ Gi’ me six box seats to the show. I’m givin’ a little party to-night, Steve; sorta steppin’ out into sassiety, as the feller says.” There was an undercurrent of mirth in his attitude as he took out a roll of bills, and, peeling off a twenty-dollar gold certifi- cate, shoved it through the window. The lackadaisical owner of the Elite Theater STEEL. 819 pushed out the tickets and then reached for the cash drawer to make change. “ Y’ know, Steve,’ continued the purchaser, “a real ol’ friend an’ employee o’ mine rode into town this afternoon. Maybe yo’ re- member him. When he was gallivantin’ hereabouts they used to call him Blue Steel.” ‘Blue Steel!’ exclaimed the man in the box office. “Has he returned to Lariat agin?” : ‘“ He shore has,” the other replied; “ but he’s not here for permanent. He’s jes’ ridin’ through on his way home, an’ me an’ the boys figger on entertainin’ him this eve- nin’.” Then the squat little fellow picked up his change and walked over and joined a group of mirthful cow-pokes that were laughing together on the other side of the lobby. The owner of the theater was silent for a moment, and then he looked at Burke with a queer smile. “Know who that guy is?” he asked. “Well, course you don’t. That’s Bowleg Bowers. He don’t know a hull lot, but he owns a ranch worth near a quarter of a million dollars, an’ he likes to spend money an’ have a good time.” He paused a moment to sell some more tickets, for a great many people seemed to be strolling in on the heels of the six roisterers who had disappeared in the opera house. ‘“An’ this Blue Steel that he spoke about,” continued the theater owner at a moment when there was no one at the win- dow, “don’t you know who he is, pard? Course you don’t. Well, he’s the biggest hell raiser that ever was—that’s who he is,” he asserted positively. Then in the box office there was no more time for conversation, for the lobby com- menced to swarm with grinning people. “I hear thar’s goin’ to be an extra good show to-night,” chuckled one freckle-faced Jad as he stuck his face up to the wicket. ‘Us cow-nurses wouldn’t miss this here performance, not for nothin’, Steve.” He passed on, and a long succession of grinning faces appeared at the box office window in the next few minutes. The rush (EOLA MLE <S .OO (EO)