Argosy (UK), January 1955 — page 126: what you’re looking at

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

124 W. R. BURNETT clear it. Not ten feet away he could hear the faint liquid mur- muring of the stream; and then his eyes began to clear, and towards his left, he saw his mount rising from the spill, and the mount seemed as stunned as himself and stood stock-still for a moment, then hobbled towards him on three legs. *“Ah,” cried Michael, ‘‘ I hope the poor devil has not broken a leg.” “Whoa! Whoa! ” cried Trim as he pulled up his lathered horse and dismounted. Michael was rising now. Trim glanced at him, then went over to examine Michael’s mount. ““ How is he, Trim?” called Michael, wincing away from the thought of that lovely black horse being finished off with a pistol. **'No bones broken,” cried Trim, ‘‘ but he’s wrenched himself badly, and he’s through for the journey. Stepped in a hoie, likely.” ** What luck! ” groaned Michael, and then all at once he remem- bered Doherty’s ‘“‘ Fortune, thou bitch!” and smiled sadly—ah well, that was the way of it, and no one knew it better than Doherty. An exposed root, a sudden movement of the arm with the blunder- buss nails flying, an innocent hole in the ground—and there you were. Fate, accident, predestination—who knew? “Captain,” said Trim, “‘ we’d better swim the river and swop this horse for a sound one on the far side. The patrols are out to- night, probably all over the countryside.” ““ No,” said Michael, ‘‘ I intend to get the black horse back to Dublin. He saved me in the north with Doherty, and he brought me safe home from Belfast. We’ll swim them over, if you like, but we'll not abandon this horse.”’ A foolish sentiment, no doubt; but it suited Trim completely. ** Ay. Then what do we do, Captain? ” “It’s me they want, Trim; not you,” said Michael. ‘ We'll swim the river, then you walk the horses into that big town where we saw the lights and rest them up—as long as you like. Get the black into Dublin. I know a trick or two. I'll get in all right. I wasn’t with Doherty all that time for nothing.” Trim thought this over for a while, then he said: ‘‘ Not a bad plan, Captain. The truth is, it’s better for us to separate. But why don’t you take the roan? And I’ll walk the black in and rest him.” “No,” said Michael. ‘‘ I’m better off without a thoroughbred at this point. I’ll get in safe and sound. Don’t worry.”’ The river was shallow, and they had only one bit of trouble crossing it, and that in midstream when the roan balked at the swiftness and pull of the current and wanted to go back; but Michael cut at him hard with the whip and yelled at him fero- ciously and finally got him moving forward. They said good-bye on the far bank. Michael gave Trim his sword and retained two pistols and some ammunition. ** See you at Nine Steps, Trim,’ called Michael. ** Ay, Captain, and good luck to you, sir,” called Trim. comicloooks.com