The Argosy, Vol. 82 No. 2 — page 117: what you’re looking at

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

THE OLD WEST The whole camp was wondering about the judge, and early next afternoon every one was watching for the first sign of the returning stage. The excitement grew as the hours dragged, and Colonel Hunger- ford was in such a blaze of wonder and curiosity that he could hardly contain him- self. It was four o’clock before the “Yip-yip!”’ of Catamount Cal was heard down the gulch. The old coach rolled into sight with the dusty mules at a gallop. Robbins gave the crowd in front of the Spread Eagle Hotel a final appraising scrutiny. “Colonel, get into that old black coat,”’ he ordered. ‘‘You’re all watching the bear dance, mind. Jack, start the brute. Vince, eo back to the Rio Rey and pound the piano hard and sing at the top of your voice —‘Buffalo Gals’ is the number. Golshaw, youw’re to have a fuss with Perdue. Got your gun, Perdue?”’ “Sure,” said the bad man. “No loads in it?” “Nary a load.” “Good! Now everybody appear easy and pretend the best you know how. This is an old time mining camp, remember, and the stage rolls in twice a week. Steady all!” The old coach lurched and swayed and the steaming mules slid to a halt in front of the stage station, a steamer trunk and a suitcase lashed in the boot. “All out!” yelled Catamount Cal, from the box. “This here’s Nugget Notch and the last stop. Snakes, but I’m dry. Ary man here got anythin’ in his hip-pocket?” No man had, of course, for the Notch was dryer than Cal himself. Besides, everybody was too busy watching for the judge to think of any one or anything else. A dead silence reigned, and Hot Tamale sat down and began pawing flies while the Ute craned his neck to watch the stage. Then, from El Rio Rey, came this: “Oh, the Buffalo gals are a comin’ out to-night, Comin’ out to-night, comin’ out to-night, Oh, the Buffalo gals are a comin’ out to-night, To dance by the light of the moon!” The coach door was pushed open, while Pablo and Manuel ran around behind and began removing the luggage. A high hat appeared, followed by a man in a frock coat and carrying a gold-headed cane. The crowd in front of the hotel began PER CONTRACT. 299 to breathe hard. So this quiet, inoffensive old gentleman was the judge! “Hist, you Jack!” Robbins whispered hoarsely. ‘‘The bear, man! He’s scaring the mules!” The Ute turned to find the bear on his hind legs hop-jumping toward the stage. One jump and Jack had the bear, but not until the mules also had jumped and slid around the corner of the hotel on their way to the corral. “Whoa, ye varmints!” howled Cata- mount Cal, his hat flying off and his long hair whipping in the wind of his flight. ‘“Whoa—whoa—” And then the words died out and mules and coach and driver vanished. Pablo lay on his back with the steamer trunk across his chest. Manuel was stand- ing on his head on the suitcase. In ordi- nary circumstances there would have been a laugh, but the tremendous importance of the judge’s arrival stemmed the tide of mer- riment. The judge had stepped out of the coach just in time to prevent himself from being thrown heels over head. He had a kind and pleasant face, with bushy eyebrows over deep-set eyes. He stared about him, and waved aside Robbins, who was hastening forward with outstretched hand. ‘So this is the dear old camp,” mur- mured the judge, ‘‘the camp I knew in my young manhood.” His voice, rich and pleasing, fondled the words. ‘The gulch,” he went on, switching his gaze up and down the defile, ‘‘is the same old gulch! The sky is as blue, the rippling waters as muddy, and the benches as broken and battered as in the beautiful old days! Well, and so I come back!” With cane under his arm and hands be- hind him he walked up and down the road in front of the hotel and the wondering, gasping crowd of Forty-Niners. Three times he paced a brief course on the sand. He seemed to be expecting some- thing and to feel disappointed. Suddenly he paused in front of the bystanders, whirled around and his gentle, docile man- ner underwent a complete change. He threw the gold-headed cane at the bear, and the bear grabbed it from sheer force of habit and began to juggle with it. Then, without any preamble in the way of words, the judge’s two hands leaped under CORMICLOOOKS (C@)