The Argosy, Vol. 75, No. 4 — page 133: what you’re looking at

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

MESQUITE RANCH, had only to get hold of him to secure the deed. Something had come to him which made him resolve to hang to the deed, which must have an enormous value to justify the trouble they were taking to secure it, even if he did it at the risk of his life. And a brief look at Watson seemed to promise that he might be pushed to that extremity. “Tt guess youll fork it over when ye git to the swingin’-point fur killin’ Bullen,” Watson affirmed grimly. ‘‘ Hanging isn’t fashionable in New York now. They always electrocute,” Ted returned. He could not have robbed himself of the chance to rub into the miner the fact that he had his match in the man he had arrested. The deed was still safe; and Radford made up his mind to gloat as long as he had the chance. “It might help some ef ye wuz to show that deed—” Watson spoke with a peculiar sig- nificance, He paused with even more significance. “How?” Ted asked. ‘ Reckon it might make things some easier ‘bout yer murderin’ Nick,’ was the reply. “TI don’t see how it would—if I had murdered Nick Bullen!” Radford re- plied. ‘“ Mebbe I could point it out to ye,” Watson observed. The situation was tense. Even the sheriff was staring at Watson with a look that showed him surprised. He was listening to the man who had prob- ably ordered the arrest of his prisoner spar for an opening to make terms by which he might secure a deed of which the sheriff had no information. He began to see that motives deeper, or at least different, from the unmixed de- sire for justice actuated one of the two men whom he had supposed were in- struments of vengeance for the punish- ment of crime. | ‘Maybe you know more about the killin’ of Nick Bullen than I do,’ Ted suddenly exclaimed. 835 Radford’s mind was leaping from one to another of the incidents which had led up to his present predicament. Nick Bullen had supposed he had the deed his father had acquired years be- fore. He had come to the New York house to get it. His health and his dumbness had prevented his either using force or words to secure his end. This Al Watson had been a party to the plan. He had probably realized that, the old deed secured, he would get a larger share of the wealth of the Cochinino if Bullen were out of the way. In some way he could not fathom, Bullen had learned of his going out to Cressymere with the envelope contain- ing the deed still unopened in his pock- et. He had followed him. He it was, probably, who had been interrupted in. his effort to rob him of the deed in the night. Watson, in turn, had followed Bullen, and had pushed him over the wall or drowned him in the belief that he had secured the deed, It all shot through his mind in light- ning brightness and speed. He took a step toward Watson and stared at the drooping brim of the broad hat which covered his eyes. “You did kill Bullen! By Jove, I see it all now! And you're accusing me of it in order to get me arrested and secure this deed to the Cochinino. Now, when you find it isn’t on my per- son, you're offering to help me escape the punishment for your crime—for your own crime, I say!—in order to make me tell where that deed is now! No, sir, Mr. Watson! You can’t do it! I understand you! I tell this offi- cer of the law here if he lets you get away he'll be losing the real murderer, the man who did kill Nick Bullen! ” The sheriff turned puzzled eyes from one to the other. ‘The conviction, the appearance, all of Ted’s manner and looks, favored a consideration of his words. But—there was an offer of ten thousand dollars reward for the arrest of the man who killed Nick Bullen. Gomichboo Sj (C@)