The Argosy, Vol. 75, No. 4 — page 128: what you’re looking at

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

830 While she watched and wondered what she should do if they turned, whether she and the men would have _ time to run back along the trail be- fore they reached the turn about the great rock, they both shifted their po- sitions and stared directly up toward her. Gill must have seen her dodge back. At least, some sudden change in the edge of the rock’s sharp contour puz- zled him. “He's up thar!” he exclaimed. He started forward. The other man spoke under his breath, without mov- ing hand or foot. “Stand still, you fool! want him shooting us down? easy marks right here.” He had scarcely spoken when a bul- let kicked up a spatter of rock chips within two feet of where he stood. “See that! He knows we’ve seen him. Lord, he’s got us for fair!” The two men stood there in the trail. A movement forward was certain to woo the attention of the pistol. They both knew that the shot had been sent by an individual who simply chose not to hit for the time being; it was a warning. : Both, too, knew that Radford was probably desperately set on winning Do you We're through to the Cochinino to find out. what his deed was really worth. Gill had tried to rob him, and he would suspect instantly on seeing him now that he was still bent upon securing the paper. They stood there, deadlocked. A. second bullet dug into the stone three inches nearer Gill and right in front of him. He jumped back. A third came, and it struck the spot where he had stood a moment before. He sprang back again. A _ fourth whacked at the rock where his foot- step was not cold. And again he plunged backward. The fifth bullet, striking accurately in the place he had just left, told him in silent language what was expected. He turned and ran like a rabbit down THE ARGOSY. the trail. ‘The bullets began their sin- ister sign language for the benefit of the other man, who had stood in the trail with a courage that commanded admiration but stirred no sympathy in Natalie’s breast. She had told hér companions that Gill of the Double X was out on the trail. “ Scare heem back! Shoot near hees feet! Make heem run!” she whis- pered tensely to Stephens. That grim-faced young man snug- gled close to the rock. He peered through the cleft between two sharp points. And, with a nicety of aim that thrilled Natalie like fine music, he obeyed her. The solemn sport of shooting Gill along the trail appealed to his sense of humor, and he played his part in the farce-tragedy with consummate skill and rare enjoyment. It evened up a lot of unpaid scores held by the Mesquite against the Double X, and Stephens knew that he was making history for himself as he shot. But that still figure that did not dance to the music of the bullets ab- sorbed the attention of the Dutchman. It promised trouble, and he watched it as he crouched on his knees on the trail and held his gun ready. The long-headed Dutchman found his unfaith in the still man justified suddenly. Stephens-had just sped a bullet at Gill’s footsteps and sent him careening down the trail, when the still man lifted his hand, grabbed his gun from his belt, and, with incredible quickness, aimed at the place where he had finally located the sharp-shooter who pursued the feet of his companion. The next instant his gun flew from his hand, discharging in the air. It was just the second between a life and death for Stephens, and he sank away from his peep-cleft, white and fierce- eyed. A howl that was a curious mingling of pain and rage sounded almost sim- ultaneously with the gun’s report. The (EO PMIC LOOKS, (E@)