The Argosy, January 1906 — page 102: what you’re looking at

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

= ee = E Fon ae : a —= = Se — se ees Sera ee eS eS Sx =~ acid =e eS a ae eae St a Ake > girl, he caught the “bridle of het “kane Le man ond Wilcox ee horse and plunged deeper into the hunched himself up and gave a long BIG, = ao eparral. whistle. “The trouble weve had on pee _ When screened from the trail, he faced Coroind and peered out to see who the traveler might be. Presently an excla- mation escaped him. s “Remain here, Orah,” he said in a low tone; “ I’ll be back in a little while.” | She nodded and he pushed back to- ward the road again. A cowboy was passing, his horse at a ‘S walk. One of the rider’s legs was hooked ~ about the pommel of his saddle. He was é a young fellow, scarcely more than a boy, = and was humming a low song and rolling - a cigarette. — “Wileox!” called Dexter. The cow boy jumped and the half- = 2 oiled cigarette dropped from his hands. — fe: looked around in consternation. “ Jupiter, Jim!” he exclaimed. “ You Panic within one of giving me the scare | Sot: my life that time. This here’s a _ mighty ticklish place, and* you can’t get = ne within gunshot of it after dark. But, say” —Wilcox wheeled his horse and rode to Jim’s side. “ You must know it Js very safe for you around here, It — wouldn’t be safe for me, either, if some eof the boys caught me talking with Zz _ you.” = ~“T came here to look ES == sround, Wilcox.” “here ain’t much to be found out by 22 Eigalsin’ at the ground. Maybe you won’t = -_ believe it, Jim, but I was thinkin’ of _ you as I rode along_rollin’ that paper pipe. Your outfit is going to have a sort of round-up over in the Whiplash Hills = - tonday, ain’t they?” 2 - “They’ve cornered Old Blazes, and = we're going to lo our best to put him ou of the way.” Wilcox rose in his stirrups and took a careful look up and down the trail. AS he settled back in his saddle he said: es — “Take my advice, Jim, and have a good strong party at the hills. Tm tellin’ you for your own good.” eg oe ee Seat = “What do you mean?” eece - “JT mean that you can expect a pretty large bunch of trouble. The old man knows your plans—I believe he even _ tmows that yowre going to be with the par y oe he’ s a - the wires for wt cd over the ao ui Shy sf a ve Ore HN — ver ih this range won’t compare with what’s to come, ‘the way I figger it.” “ Does Kalispel still think that I. killed Nate? ” “ | don’t knew as he thinks that. He has an idea, though, that it was a put-up job between you and young Burnham. He’s crazy mad, Jim, that’s what he is. A killin’? mood, I call it.” Dexter did not seem greatly dis- turbed. “ Can you tell me what he is thinking of doing?” he asked. “Tve told you all I know, Jim, and you can bet your shaps, taps, and lati- goes it would be all day with me if old Kxal ever found it out. But I’m sort 0’ rung in on this deal, havin’ toted the- hide of one of them rustled steers over to you. I can’t forget what you done for me that time I needed help, Jim, and F can tell you that I’d do a heap more for you than I have already—don’t for- pet: that— “I won’t forget anything,” said Jim. “Tf you’d come over to the Clearwater Td give you a better lay than you’re getting here.” “Tt ain’t to be thought of, though I’m obliged to you. My brother’s got a hold at the O. D. K. and wants me 29 with him. If you Wilcox broke off suddenly. “ Listen!” he muttered, bending his head. Galloping was heard in the north, dis- tant and indistinct but approaching swiftly. “That’s our cue to separate, Jim,” said Wilcox hurriedly. “It won’t do for you to be seen here, nor for me to be seen palaverin’ with you. You hike, and I’ll do the same. So-long.” “Adios,” returned Dexter, backing his horse into the thicket as Wilcox went on up the trail, humming to himself and rolling another cigarette. “Who was that, Jim?” questioned Orah. He raised a hand, warning her to_ silence, and peered through the brush toward the trail. The girl allowed her eyes to follow his. The galloping was now loud in their . ears, and the horsemen were in sight. el a shone!