Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 7, 1928 — page 90: what you’re looking at

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

80 tion, suddenly decided that his duties called him elsewhere. The barkeeper was a firm believer in self-preservation, and he had a hunch that there was go- ing to be trouble here and now, so he moved into the saloon with more promptness than grace. | * Guess there’s no reason for me not tellin’ yuh who I am,” said Solitaire softly. “Stevens is my name, Soli- taire Stevens. ‘They call me th’ Whis- tling Waddy!” “Stevens, eh?” said Hawkner. “That’s what I wanted to be sure about was th’ name.”’ His hand went swiftly to his gun, but he did not draw the weapon as he spoke. “I’m sorry, Stevens, but I’ve got to arrest yuh for killing Jim Har- per—both Craven and Jenkins swear they saw you do it!” “Oh, so that’s it?” said Solitaire. “JT mighta known them two would pull somethin’ undercover—I—” He glanced behind the sheriff and the other man. As he did so Stevens’s face lighted up. “Buck!” he exclaimed in delighted tones. “I’m sure glad tuh see yuh!” Hawkner and his companion glanced behind them to see who Stevens was talking to and found no one there. But that brief instant had been enough for the Whistling Waddy. When they looked again in his direc- tion they found themselves staring into the muzzles of his heavy Colts. “T’m right sorry, gents, that I can’t oblige yuh by goin’ tuh jail,” said Stevens softly. “ But I gotta have me a little talk with this feller called the Ace!” He moved swiftly forward before they realized his intention and took their guns. “Tf yuh wants to remain healthy,” he told them, “ I’d advise yuh tuh stay right where yuh are till I get out of sight.” With that he backed slowly around the corner of the building. As he dis- appeared the sheriff and his com- ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. panion heard him whistling softly and they frowned at each other. But as yet they made no attempt to move. They felt the Whistling Waddy would carry out his threat if they did. VI. Four men rode rapidly away from the town of Vereston a little later that morning. Their faces were grimly set and they were bent upon one object, and that the capture of the soft spoken, whistler known as Solitaire Stevens. When they had reached the shelter of a clump of trees a mile or so away from the town the quartet halted at a motion of the hand of the man who rode in the lead. Without a word they tied their bright-colored handkerchiefs tightly about the lower part of their faces, so that only each man’s eyes were now visible beneath his hat. “All set, boy?” asked the leader, turning to his companions, as he fin- ished adjusting his mask. “Right, chief,” one of the men an- swered. “Let’s go get him!” The leader nodded and rode on. The others followed close behind, their eyes eagerly searching the rocky sec- tion they were entering. Eid Jenkins, who had found the bul- let whieh,he had received the night be- fore in his leg to be only a slight flesh wound, had been watching when Soli- taire rode swiftly out of town that morning. The half-breed had made a mental note of the direction which the Whistling Waddy had taken, and now the Ace and his pack rode on an omi- nous mission of death. It was toward the cafion that Ste- vens had appeared to be heading, and it was in this direction that the four horsemen now rode. Behind them some considerable dis- tance a rider followed, making every effort to keep under cover as much as possible. The little freckled faced boy Jimmy Lawton was trying to aid his new found partner. 5A Micboo (C@) (E@)