The Argosy, Vol. 75, No. 4 — page 85: what you’re looking at

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

MESQUITE RANCH. As if the thought came to the men at the same’ moment, they turned to- ward the rocks on the far side of the basin. The flames had started there. They were dying slowly on the side nearest them. Instantly, with guns in hand and - long, wary steps, the cowboys strode srimly around the pool and_ started into the defiles and crevices above where the fire had been ignited. At the same moment- Radford turned to Natalie. He said just one word. “ Sykes? ” Natalie lifted eyes that clearly re- vealed the surprise and horror with which the thought of the Southerner’s culpability came to her. ‘“{ do not know,” she replied. “Have you seen him to-day?” he questioned, wondering if she were protecting Sykes. “No. We have been :away—to Pinon.” “He might have thought he was helping you. And putting one over ‘ on the Mesquite Ranch at the same time! ”’ Radford said grimly. The memory of the mangled cattle, the pain of his strained leg, and a sud- den inability to do more than stare helplessly into Natalie’s white face came over Ted all at the same time. He turned away when she did not speak. The men were moving like silent shadows among the rocks. The very stillness they maintained made the settling dusk seem threatening. . At any moment they might capture Sykes or some one who would appear to them as the source of the disaster to the Mesquite cattle. “ You'd better go to the house,” he suggested, dreading what might happen shortly, for cattlemen made short work of those who maltreated their beasts. “I do not care for the society of monsieur, so weel take hees advice,” she said quickly. “ Natalie! If you knew how I love 737 39 you—” Ted exclaimed, the protest wrung from him by the intensity of his desire to keep her. “IT have the mind to comprehend— that kind of love!” she exclaimed, moving in front: of him to reach the trail, Regardless of the pain in his leg, he leaped after her. He seized her in his arms. He pressed his lips hard against her black hair. “It doesn’t make any difference how you treat me! It doesn’t make any difference if you hate me now! You're going to love me! I’m going to have you! You're mine!” he -ex- claimed. A shout rang out among the rocks. “ They’ve got him!”’ Radford cried, with such horror ; in his face that Nata- lie stopped her futile efforts to break from his convulsive clasp. ‘“ What — weel—they do?” she whispered. “Lord only knows!” Ted = an- swered, then listened for another out- burst. It came. Simultaneously he and Natalie turned and climbed the trail. Led by Silsby, the Mesquiters came tearing back around the butte to get their horses. Far out across the plain a single horseman dashed toward the southeast. He waved his hat with a defiant grace. “ Ket ees Tom Sykes! ” Natalie ex- claimed. ‘““Well—he’s safe!” Radford ob- served, watching the relief in hér face with jealous eyes. “Our horses are fagged. He’s on a fresh one and a mighty good one. They can’t get him.”’ He was right. The Mesquiters glumly acknowledge it after five min- utes’ pursuit. They came back growl- ing and swearing’ vengeance on the Double X. Without another word to Radford Natalie went up the trail. Even if he had wanted to follow her, the sum- mons that came up te him made it impossible. Silsby called him. CORMEOOOKS (E@)