Argosy All-Story Weekly, May 5, 1928 — page 142: what you’re looking at

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

708 / came a single shot, followed by two others at regular intervals. “T knew it!” Vic Jasey snarled. “I told yeh! That’s some guy what heard the shot and—’” e “ Le’s —le’s get outa here,” Slusser chattered in quick panic. ‘‘ This job’s got my goat. What business has a smart kid like me got way up here in this Gawd-forsaken country, any- way—” He turned and ran down the trail, and after a momentary hesitation the others followed. “ Meet at the room. Separate when we get to town and gum-shoe in,” Vic Jasey grunted as he caught up to Slusser. The Fox ran also, but gradually slowed his pace until the others were far ahead. ‘Then he stopped and in- stantly turned back toward the spot he had just quitted. Not for nothing had Johnny Pike been called The Fox. Very little es- caped his small, roving eyes and his large, pointed ears. And so it was he was the only one to hear a mutter from the wounded man on the ground while Jasey and Slusser were panic-stricken and ready to flee. And now he was going back on the chance that Alf Lowring would say something that he, The Fox, could use in the search for the buried gold, which he had by no means abandoned. That map must be somewhere, he reasoned coolly; maybe the young guy might spill some dope about it. And so he scurried back. Young Alf Lowring groaned in his unconsciousness and flung out an arm. The Fox, who crouched by him, slipped out of the way of the arm and intently watched Lowring’s contorted face. The wounded man groaned again and muttered thickly and in a jerky manner : “Jack. Bad luck holds. You—take —map. Go—” The Fox grinned. So some guy, some friend, knew about this trip after ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY, the gold? Some one Lowring trusted ? And Vic Jasey, the big dud, thought he was wise, leading the bunch out here on a wild-goose chase to glom a nig that wasn’t on this young guy at all! Well, he gloated, he’d show ’em! He knew how to frame Vic and Slusser— get them outa the way. Then wait till this Jack guy started out and follow him to the buried gold and the lost mine. Not so bad! Suddenly he threw up his head and listened. Voices. Coming down the trail! Like a shadow he fled. He remained outside the town of Purdy until early morning. Then he scribbled a note: Dear Mr. SHERIF: Here’s a hot tip. Look threw your circulars and find the mugs of Vic Ja- sey and Snooty Slusser. They are wanted by the dicks in Chi and New York. Then you go up to room 3 in the Dewey House here in town and make the pinch while they are snoozin’, A FRIEND. Then he started toward town. A small boy appeared, driving a cow down the road, and The Fox overtook him. “Wanta make some jack, son?” he asked with a warm smile. The lad looked up and nodded shyly. “ All righty! You take this here note on in to the sheriff or whatever you got for a cop in this town. Tell him I said he oughta give yeh a dollar for bring- in’ it. And here’s a half from me. Beat it, kiddo.” Then The Fox widely circled the sleeping town and entered it at the out- skirts of the opposite end, where stood a road house of questionable repute. Here he engaged the sleepy proprietor in confidential conversation, secured a room key, and went to bed. A little later the proprietor woke him to impart the information that Vic Jasey and Snooty Slusser were in jail. The Fox chuckled to himself when he was again alone. EORMICLOOOLK< (E@)