Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 14, 1928 — page 38: what you’re looking at

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

176 afresh, when somebody else seized him by the collar and yanked him back into the crowd, clapping a hand over his mouth. By this time Jake had drawn near the posse and was surveying them with scornful eyes. “ What’s this bull I hear ’bout th’ killer comin’ back tuh life and pullin’ off another job?” he blazed, striding straight into the crowd. “ It can’t be!” “It’s jist as sartain as I am of what is comin’ tuh yuh, yuh lyin’ old brag!” the red-headed fellow shouted, grab- bing Jake by the arm while two of the others pinned him from the opposite side. “ The rope, boys!” Jake’s pale blue eyes gave an amazed stare. “ You're not meanin’ tuh string me wp! What fur?” *¥uh old liar the red-head rasped, ‘‘ Yuh said yuh killed th’ devil what pulled off that first holdup and stopped us fellows from followin’ up his trail, And he’s right in that thar cave now!” “Can't be—can’t be,’ Jake sput- tered, “I nailed him dead, I’m tellin’ yuh, Let me go!” “Since Jake’s so sure he ain’t in thar,let him go in and see! That ’d be a little more lawful than th’ rope!” The hand had been removed from Judge Wilson’s mouth. | The red-headed fellow glanced sharply into the back of the crowd. “Not a bad idea, judge! Can't see any harm in givin’ Jake his choice.” He turned to his captive. “ What do yuh say—into th’ cave, or th’ rope?” Old Jake stared square into his ques- tioner’s eyes. “Why, into th’ cave, of course—a foolish thing tuh ask an old-timer like me what’s not scared of no man’s guns. Besides, he can’t be in thar, I’m tellin’ yuh. I nailed him as dead as I did Moctezuma Joe!” -Murmurs of surprise arose from the mob. There was hardly a man in the posse but what had expected to see Jake beg and cringe. 1°? ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. But the old man stood erect be- tween his captors, gazing complacently at the mouth of the cave, easily the most composed figure in the crowd. ae they misjudged old Jake, after all: “No tricks, Jake!” the red-headed one cautioned, letting go of his cap- tive’s arm. ‘“‘ Remember, we’re goin’ tuh keep yuh covered every foot of th’ way tuh th’ mouth of th’ cave.” “Who do you folks think you're dealin’ with—a yellow belly like your- selves?” Jake spouted, shaking himself loose from the two that held his other arm. ‘“ Don’t git nervous now when I reaches fur my shootin’ itrons—I jist wants to give *em th’ once-over tuh be sure they’re in good shootin’ order ‘fore I crawls into that cave. Of course { knows th’ feller what killed Bryden can’t be inside, but I might run into a grizzly b’ar or some wild animal such as that.” He pulled out his guns, one by one, examining each carefully with an ex- pression of pride. Once satisfied they were in working order, he replaced them in their holsters and stood facing the crowd. “And now fur th’ benefit of some of yuh low-down tinhorns what hasn’t got th’ guts tuh do anything but knock,” Jake announced dramatically, with a flourish of his hand, ‘ I’m goin’ to wade right into that cave and prove tuh yuh what I said “bout land- in’ that killer was the truth—that I nailed him dead, down at Roaring River, days ago.” * But thar’s somebody in thar, sure, Jake!” a member of the posse warned. “And it hain’t no grizzly b’ar either. Dugan, Simpson’s other guard here, saw him go in.” “ Might be somebody, but not th’ killer I nailed down at Roaring River,” Jake grunted. “ We'll soon see.” And while the crowd stared with — bulging eyes, Jake started briskly across the rock-strewn ground to the mouth of the cave, drawing on his big A Gomichbooks (E@)