The Argosy, Vol. 75, No. 4 — page 65: what you’re looking at

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

MESQUITE RANCH. moonlight and rosy lovelight; and he wanted to take this girl in his arms and sail off into the enchanted atmosphere of it. “Tf you are Frenchy Fill—” é6é A-h! a) To the accompaniment of the indig- nation-charged exclamation the stew- pan described a graceful arc and hit Big Red neatly on the head. A spatter of small bits of something adhered to his face and clothes while the pan trailed a silver bow of liquid through the air. “Excuse me! I’m done!” the fore- man capitulated forcefully. “ Silsby kin do his own fightin’ fur this hyah water-hole. Wimmin allays wuz too much fur me.” Big Red was grimly picking the par- ticles of bark off of his face. The six cowboys and Radford were manfully gulping down the laughter that nearly dismembered them. Ted could not sup- press the appreciative grin with which he looked at the victorious little de- fender of the spring. She was staring at him with surprise all over her expressive face. He saw that she had just recognized him. He took off his felt hat and bowed ceremo- niously. “Am I such a leetle girl when I can vanquish these great beasts? ”’ she asked suddenly. She wanted his good opinion. Ted eloated over the knowledge of that as it came to him. He had felt her voice in him long after he no longer heard it. She had not forgotten him. He never had lacked courage that took ad- vantage of ready-made opportunities. She was bending toward him, smiling, her eyes fastened on his. He promptly stepped close beside her rock throne. He measured even then a head above her. He looked straight and daringly into the dark eyes. “You are a little girl—a little bitter- sweet girl!”’ The next instant a human avalanche struck him in the back and sent him sliding with the loose rocks down to- T7607 ward the bitter waters of Apache Spring. CHAPTER X. “WHO WAS: NICK BULLEN?” “THAt’s foh youah impudence! ” Radford picked himself up from the edge of the basin and glared into the angry eyes of a young fellow about his own age, a*complete stranger. He saw the six cowboys of his own bunch approach threateningly, about to rough- handle his assailant. “Hold off!” he said with ominous calm. ‘ This is my business.” He saw the measuring glance that his new enemy gave him. He was con- scious that the little lady had come from her perch on the rock and was regarding the tense inaction of the group with startled eyes. A threat was in the silent air, and she knew it. “You know I didn’t mean to be im- pertinent, don’t you?” Ted asked cool- ly, turning from the glowering face of his unknown enemy. “Oui, out, monsieur!’’ she ex- claimed, anxious to serve in the settle- ment of the difficulty which had so un- expectedly developed. ‘Please tell this—this gentleman in English, so he will understand,” ‘Ted instructed. The little lady was zealously obe- dient. “Mr. Sikes, thees gentleman did not mean to be impertinent. Indeed, eet was compliment.” Big Red turned sharply when he heard the name by which she addressed the young man. But Sykes had no in- terest in anything but Radford and the girl. What she said served to infuri- ate him still more. He controlled a hot temper with evident difficulty. “ What right’s a stranger got to com- pliment you, Mlle. le Fevre? He'll hev to learn you got a man to look after you an’ be more pertic’lar how he shakes his compliments round!” Sykes exclaimed. COPNICGLOOOKS (C@)