The Argosy, Vol. 75, No. 4 — page 58: what you’re looking at

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

760 spirit of excitement and partizanship. Gill had not played fair. There was not a boy among them, mot one who had been punching for . years, whose blood throbbed hotter or whose breath came faster than Ted Radford’s when he contemplated help- ing to visit on the greedy Double X- ers the needed punishment. He felt the stimulation of the big horse under him. Fifth Avenue, all that had ever happened to him there, seemed a half-forgotten dream. Out across the rolling foot-hills, stirring the dust from the roots of the grass already losing its freshness, he flew with the others.. He lifted the reins and the big horse forged ahead. The cowboys gave a hoot of half- savage joy and good-natured objection to his leadership. But they knew the horse. he straddled and accepted the situation and his dust with a galloping acquiescence which brought them along close to the black’s heels and kept them there, as if all of them realized the ad- visability of bunching in case the Double X-ers were lying in wait to attack them. Ted had learned that it was usual for either of the ranches, when they had herds grazing near this spring, to drive up the cattle and let them drink, then drive them away for the others to have a turn. But it was easy to assume that the Double X-ers had refused the Mesquite cattle the accustomed courtesy, and the beasts had turned and made their way to the nearest water that would be open to them, their own home ranch. It was an inhumane piece of business to send cattle twelve miles through the heat and dust, and the cow-men had a severe code when the “ critturs ” were made to suffer. “ Hold on, Pretty!’ Big Red yelled to Radford as they came in sight of the big spur that projected like a rock peninsula into the smoother stretch of the surrounding plain. Radford resented the nickname, but he obeyed the instruction. THE ARGOSY. “Now’s the time fur deescreetion! Git back behind somebuddy that knows how!” Ted continued to ride along beside him. “Say, ef ye ain’t found out who’s boss uy this bunch jes’ ask somebuddy in the rear. Hike!” Big Red growled. Radford debated the question about one second. He saw the blue eyes un- der the battered sombrero blaze. He had been riding toward the encounter with the Double X-ers joyfully, his reins held high, his hat off; but the look in Big Red’s eyes rather tempered his picturesque enthusiasm. He dropped back among the others and felt for his gun. He saw them doing the same and jamming’ their broad hats down on their heads. The gestures were small but curiously sig- nificant. They plainly anticipated that the Gill men would fight to hold what they had gained. Mesquite and Double X rarely met for pleasure; there was usu- ally business on hand and the devil to pay before the fray was over. Radford felt a cold chill along his spine. It was a new experience to be riding a hurdle-race toward a lot of active guns ready to make holes at the -Slightest provocation. He was ashamed to acknowledge that just for an instant he had felt fear. Then he settled him- self in the saddle and felt absolutely anxious to do his share of gun-prac- tise. Big Red debouched from the straight course he had been taking to- ward the butte that tipped the exten- sion of the spur into the plain. Rad- ford saw that he was making for a point where the rocky spine was low- est, a kind of sinking in the elevation, as if it rested a space to gather power to tew up the massive butte. The mountain was not high. But, in contrast to the plain which surrounded its base, it was almost impressive in its proportions. The men rode silently now. Dusk had come. Any moment might be the : EOPMICLOOO SS (<@)