The Argosy, Vol. 82 No. 2 — page 122: what you’re looking at

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

304 Ann’s white and shapely throat. His gaze, riveted to the object, pulled him forward. Reaching out, he took the neck-chain in a trembling hand and continued to peer at it. : Ann Bobbett’s eyes were widé and star- tled. So were Reeves’s, for the chain was the nugget chain which he had found and restored to Gentleman Jim. How came those linked nuggets in Lady Ann’s posses- sion? was the thought that ran through the Tenderfoot’s mind. “Pardon me, Miss Bobbett,” said the judge, “but may I look at the chain for a moment?” Mutely she lifted it over her shimmering brown tresses and passed it over to him. There was deep silence in the room while he carried the linked nuggets nearer a light and examined them carefully. Finally he turned to the girl again, his voice husky with emotion. “Will you tell me, please,” he asked, “where you got this chain?” “It’s always belonged to her, jedge,” spoke up Ezra Bobbett. Always belonged to her! Reeves drew a quick breath. If this were so, then how had the trinket happened to be in the pos- session of Jim Rayner? “That is true?”’ questioned the judge. “Ves,” answered Lady Ann, almost in a whisper. Judge Brand straightened. “So far as I know,” he went on, “there are only two such chains in existence. One belonged to my old partner, Hugh Adams, one of the best men that ever prospected for gold in the Old West; and the other be- longed, and still belongs, to me. I should like to know, Miss Bobbett, how you came to own this chain? Is it, by coincidence, a third strand of linked nuggets?” “Jedge,” spoke up Bobbett, “Lady Ann ain’t of my blood. ' Her real name is Adams, not Bobbett.” Few among the Forty-Niners had sus- pected such a revelation, and it caught them gasping. A strange look crossed the face of Judge Brand. “T want you and your wife, Mr. Bob- bett,” said. he, “to come right up to my place with Lady Ann. A mighty wonderful thing has happened if all these statements are correct. J must know more about this at once.” He strode toward the street door. Rob- bins, as dazed as the others, followed him. THE ARGOSY. Ma Bobbett got up unsteadily, took the be- wildered Lady Ann by an arm and led her away. Ezra Bobbett trailed after them. Reeves, perplexed by the sudden turn of events, faced around slowly to look at Gen- tleman Jim. The gambler was exchanging glances with Don Quesada. What was wrong here? Reeves asked him- self the question. ‘That something was not right he felt deep down in the depths of his soul, . CHAPTER VI. MEN OF NERVE. [7 was nearly midnight before Mr. and Mrs. Bobbett and Lady Ann emerged from the quarters of Judge Brand and made their way down the gloomy little street to the New York Bazar. Camp festivities had long since ceased at El Rio Rey and the place was dark and de- serted. Only two adobes on the “flat” showed a gleam, and these were the judge’s house and the Spread Eagle Hotel. Reeves, uneasy and suspicious, was in no mood for slumber. He sat on the bench outside the hotel door, and there Jim Ray- ner, the don, Vince, Catamount Cal, Smed- ders and Handy had passed him on their way to the bunkroom in the wing. Colonel Hungerford had paused for a word. ‘What do you make of the doings at the honkatonk, Martin?” the colonel asked. “Nothing at all,” was Reeves’s reply. “Some surprising developments are on the way, if I’m any prophet. Lock the front door when you come to bed, will you? And put out the light in the office.” Reeves had kept his place on the bench at the door, reflecting deeply, but all to no purpose. He heard the Bobbetts as they came down the street, and he saw their dusky figures hover about the front of the Bazar while Ezra fumbled with the door- key. “Land sakes, Ezra, are your fingers all thumbs?” complained the voice of Ma Bob- bett. “You must be tur’ble excited, seems like.” : “‘Ain’t it enough to make a body excited, ma?” Ezra demanded, his voice thick with unwonted emotion. “To think of all this good luck comin’ to our little Liddy Ann jest nat’rly—” “You hush, Ezra. The judge says we’re not to speak of it till everything is sure and COPMICLOOOKS (C@