Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 14, 1928 — page 113: what you’re looking at

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

GOLD. won’t know a word about it. A good bargain. I want my life. What do I care for that stuff? My life—that’s all. A bargain.” . The doughboy, with his oval face turned up to the moonlight, seemed to be perplexed. Every chance thus far to satiate his great ambition to kill a man was frustrated. There always seemed to be some excellent reason why mur- der was the least advisable course. Dorsey saw now that he had the upper hand. His one big weapon— that carpet bag of gold—had struck the first blow. “You won’t shoot. I’m not afraid of your guns. Might as well put them up. Holding me up with your guns you don’t dare discharge. Silliest thing I ever heard in my life.” He was beginning to assume his usual nonchalance. Outwardly he ap- peared quite triumphant. But at the same moment he was contemplating his next move. He might draw his own gun from the rail and take his turn at holding his captors up. But this would be dell- cate. He himself would not dare to fire it. It would be a matter of bluff- ing each other out. : Perhaps, on the other hand, he could take a chance at a fist fight. The boy would be easily dispatched—but the negro was a different matter. It might take several blows to knock him out. Meanwhile the commotion would warn Swope. It was at this very point in his di- lemma that Swope came up on deck! He had heard the low-pitched voices from far aft there in the steerage, and he had the impression that the girl must have boarded the ship. Coming to the companionway, he found Priscilla standing on the ladder, her head peering out on deck. “ Holloa there! So you’re back! As I thought. Where’s the money?” The girl, taken by surprise, tried to stammer something, at the same time realizing that she must warn Dorsey. 251 Dorsey, however, was taking care of himself. The boy had heard Swope’s voice and had snapped out in a voice- less cry: “ All right, let him go. Bear a hand. Smart there now. Over the rail—and you won’t be touched.” Dorsey had extracted his gun from the rail and climbed over. But he-did not descend to his skiff. Instead he hung there on the Jacob’s ladder, wait- ing. ‘““Where’s the money?’ Swope re- peated. “ Collect yourself. Don’t be afraid of me, miss. I ain’t a reptile. Give me your money.” “The money—yes, I know. I made a lot. It’s there—forward—they’ve got it. Those two men.” Swope swung up the companion lad- der, elbowing her unceremoniously out of the way. But as he brushed past her she added quickly: “‘ They hid it between the foremast and hatchway.” She did not know whether he had heard this or not. He was so excited that he was off without a word. prowl- ing along the decks like a cat stalking two helpless birds. “How much did she bring?” he asked. ‘How much? Wh-what you.mean, how much?” the sea-cook asked. “T said, how much ?” “ Nothin’, suh, nothin’. Wasted her time. Just went ashore stallin’.” ‘“ Reckon she was goin’ to get some one to come and fight us—but then lost her nerve,’ the boy supplemented. “Anyways, she didn’t do no singin’ when ashore.” He was able to lie much more easily than the big negro. Swope did not appear to be aston- ished, as they had expected. He did not even appear to be mad. But it was only his face that they saw leering at them. They did not know what was going on behind that complacent mask. He was burning with a cool white fury. He wanted to kill both of these double- dealing whelps as they stood there EOPNICLOOO KS (E@)