The Argosy, Vol. 75, No. 4 — page 86: what you’re looking at

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

788 “Say, this hyah butte and the land round ain’t wuth a nickel. Nick Bul- len sure done Frenchy when he traded him this fur his interest in the Co- chinino.”’ Radford said nothing. He knew Silsby had something behind his ob- servation. His leg hurt and his heart ached. He sat down on a rock and listened. But when he had dragged himself out of the slough of despond in which he had fallen he found him- self listening to Silsby to the aceom- paniment of an involuntary mental repetition of the musical Indian name he had just heard. “The gal’s got nuthin’ else, most likely. She can’t raise frijoles ‘nuff. to feed her bird on this hyah good- fer-nuthin’ rock,” .Silsby remarked. “If she’s agreeable, I’d like to git the use uv this hyah spring fur a fair price. Whut d’ye say?” It was such a radical change of front from the stubborn position Silsby had taken that Ted was sur- prised. Big Red, however, had appar- ently experienced no change of heart. “Frenchy give us the use uv the water. Whut’s the use uv payin’ fur it jes’ ’cause a gal—’’ “The gal’s got sense! Frenchy wuz a fool ‘bout business,” Silsby ex- claimed. “The Double X has made her some kind of a proposition,’ Ted observed. “Say, young chap, that’s whut I want ye fur. Ye'’re the purty one uv our bunch. I guess Gill’s got his beauty a workin’ fur him. Ye git up that thar trail—quick—an’ make the best terms ye kin with the gal!” Ted suppressed a disposition to yell. It took all the calm he could summon to keep his rage from boiling over. He was tired and cross, and the almost constant quizzing he endured because of his good looks made it seem an in- sult that Silsby should use what he made fun of when it was to his ad- vantage. 7 “ Red’s the man you want,” he re- torted hotly. ‘‘ He’s got a face that’d THE ARGOSY. make any woman agree to almost any- thing.” If Ted hoped for a fuss he was disappointed. Red looked at Silsby with something so akin to fright that the ranchman grinned. “Whut d’ye say, Red?” he asked. “T say hell!” Red responded briefly and forcefully, ‘“That’s more’n ye be able to say ef ye wuz face to face with the gal— alone!” Silsby jeered. “ Young chap, I reckon ye’re the grave-digger fur this hyah funeral.”’ Silsby turned to Radford. Ted saw that he meant what he said. But he was in no mood to expose himself to Natalie’s scorn; and he suspected that he would do more to make her approve of whatever offer Gill made than the offer from Silsby. “ Not on your life,” he replied, with a force that told Silsby he meant it. “Go yourself. It’s your business! ”’ He was certain a minute later that no speech of his life had ever made so profound an effect. Silsby glared for a good half-second; then, as plain as the nose on his tanned face, there came an expression that Big Red had lately worn—the look of fear. Big Red watched it come. was not funny_to him. The idea Ted had advanced was simply astounding. It took a while for the foreman even But it» to realize that any live person would — suggest to Ward Silsby an interview with a woman. As it simmered and sifted into his cranium, Big Red began to enjoy it. Finally, with his gaze fastened on the stricken Silsby as if he reveled in every shade of his discomfiture, the big fel- low burst into a roar like the mingled noise of the Bull of Bashan and a tornado. Ted could only half appreciate the situation. To him women were as much a part of things in general as men—and much more interesting, es- pecially one. It was impossible for him to think that, till he saw Natalie on the rock pointing a gun at him, EOPMICLOOOLKS (E@)