Argosy All-Story Weekly, July 7, 1928 — page 58: what you’re looking at

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

198 of the office, a window which faced a dark little alleyway between the shack and the square bulk of a hardware store on the left. “‘ What was that?” “What was what?” MacGill glanced at the window. ‘“ Did yuh hear some- thin’ ?” For an instant Willis did not an- swer; he remained gazing silently at the window, but he did not move from the box. Finally he shook his head. ‘“T guess it was nothin’. I thought I seen a shadow passin’, that was all.” “Huh.” MacGill laughed. “ Get- tin’ kinda jumpy, ain’t yuh?” His tone changed. “ Listen, Jake, when Helen Shaw finished Hopkins she played right into my hands.” He leered. ‘ She’s a right pretty girl, and th’ Cross Bar J is one of the best ranches round in this part of th’ coun- try. It’s better than mine, an’ that’s sayin’ somethin’.”’ “Tt sure is; the Lazy X is hard tuh beat.” Willis looked intently at Mac- Gill. “Kinda tough, old man Shaw had tuh get killed, just when things was goin’ good on th’ Cross Bar J. Funny thing about that; [ never get the story straight. The old man’s hoss throwed him, didn’t it?” “Ves,” MacGill stared at the table in front of him. “ Musta kicked him, too. One of his punchers found him with his head caved in. Let's See ; that’s been over a year ago now, ain't it?” “Just about. Queer the way old Major Marsh, over on the Circle T, keeps on insisting now and then that his friend Henry Shaw was murdered, ain’t it?” “Uh-huh,” said MacGill, but he did not lift his eyes. ‘‘ Since her father died Helen’s been runnin’ the Cross Bar J, yuh know, Jake.” “Sure. But hell, that ain’t nothin’ hard tuh do, not with Major Marsh advising her now and then; and Buck Larkins is a right good foreman, even if I don’t like him worth a damn.” “Never mind about Larkins and the ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. major. They ain’t gonna bother me none. It’s Helen Shaw I want. I been wanting her and the ranch for some time. I even asked her tuh marry me.” MacGill frowned. “ But she sure treats me like I was dirt. She wouldn't if she was wise.” “Til say not.” Willis grinned. “What happened between her and Denver? All [ know is that she plugged him.” “Oh, that! Well, early this morn- ing Hopkins meets th’ girl out riding alone on th’ range.” MacGill laughed. “T hear she’s been havin’ a little trou- ble with her outfit. Anyway Denver never did have much sense, an’ he starts tuh get rough. “The two of them struggles, and th’ girl grabs Denver’s gun. He tries tuh take it away from her, an’ while they’re fightin’ th’ gun goes off an’ kills Hopkins. I ain’t weepin’ none about that—Denver never was worth a hoot anyway.” “ Still it put th’ girl in bad.” “Sure, that’s just it.” MacGill smiled evilly. ‘An’ that’s where I come in! Helen Shaw goes back tuh the ranch, and thinks th’ whole thing over durin’ the day. Maybe she asks Major Marsh what she should do. I don’t know about that. “ Anyway, this evenin’ she rides in- tuh town an’ tells Sheriff Hagen what’s happened. I guess she figured he’d consider it self-defense or somethin’ like that and let it go.” “ But he didn’t, did he?” “Naw. Hagen don’t see it that way. He tells her she’s under arrest for murder. Then, as yuh know, Helen sees th’ cards are all against her. She pulls a gun and covers Hagen, then gets on her hoss and beats it. She ain’t gone far when the sheriff and Tom Blake, the deputy, starts after her. An’ that’s that.” “Maybe.” Willis’s tone was doubt- ful. “TI still think th’ Chief ain’t goin’ to like th’ play. Besides, I don’t see how yuh come in on it yet?” COPNICGLOOOKS (C@)