The Argosy, Vol. 82, No. 3 — page 177: what you’re looking at

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

THE OLD WEST “To-morrow morning, directly after breakfast,” said he, “you will take that paper out to the pocket and put it up on your claim in place of the memorandum I left there; then you will ride to Penyan and have this other notice recorded. Not until that is done will you be fully pro- tected.” “T’ll attend to it, judge,’ answered Reeves. ‘‘Are you going to call on Ezra Bobbett before long?” “You and I will go to the Bazar as soon as supper is out of the way.” It was eight o’clock when Judge Brand and Reeves dropped in on the Bobbetts. Old Jack, the Ute, was buying some sup- plies in the store and Lady Ann was wait- ing on him. The girl looked up eagerly as the two visitors came in. ‘You want to see dad?” she asked, in a tense voice. The judge nodded and smiled reassur- ingly. “Where is he?” he asked. “In the back room with Ma Bobbett,” said Lady Ann. “T want you there, too,” went on the judge. ‘When you finish with Old Jack, put out the light and lock the door.”’ Ezra Bobbett and his wife were sitting at a table in a room that served as kitchen and dining-room. Ezra was leaning an elbow on the table and his chin rested in his lifted hand. His wife was knitting, and he watched the flying needles moodily. Both started nervously to their feet when the judge ap- peared. “Ezra,” remarked the judge, “I want to tell you a little story.” “That’s what I heerd,” mumbled. Ezra, in quivering tones. He pushed out a chair for the judge and waved Reeves. to another. They were hardly seated before Lady Ann _ joined them. Ezra saw that the store was dark. “Closin’ up early, ain’t you, Liddy?” he queried. ‘“‘Tudge Brand told me to,” said the girl, seating herself quietly. Ezra shifted uneasily and Mrs. Bobbett put away her knitting. The very air was vibrant with the importance of disclosures to come. Bobbett reached for his pipe, then put it down again. Lady Ann drew her chair closer to him, and rested an affectionate hand on his arm. PER CONTRACT. 551 “Go—go on with your yarn, jedge,” urged Bobbett, huskily. “How old are you, Ezra?” inquired Brand. “Seventy, jedge.” “This story takes us back thirty years, to the time when you were forty. It is a true story I am going to tell you, Bobbett, but I’ll make it brief. “Two men are camped on the Purgatoire River in Colorado. One of the men is an upstanding sort of chap, with yellow hair and blue eyes. He has slim, white hands, more given to handling the pasteboards than pick and shovel. The other man is of another grain, too good to be a capper for the blackleg, although that is exactly what ~ he is. “It is afternoon, and a stranger rides along the Purgatoire on horseback. There is a gold pan and grub pack at the stran- ger’s cantle, and he has a buckskin bag filled with dust from the placerings. The | yellow-haired man asks the stranger to. ‘light and take potluck with him and his’ pard. “The stranger accepts the invitation. After supper, in the light of the camp fire, the yellow-haired man suggests cards, and the three play on a blanket spread near the blaze. The—”’ Ezra Bobbett, his face white under its tan, rose swayingly to his feet and leaned heavily across the table. His eyes were bulging from his head. “For God’s sake, stop!” he groaned. “Are you man or devil that you know these things?” Ma Bobbett dropped her head and lifted her apron to hér face. hazel eyes reflected sympathy for Bobbett and vague defiance of the judge. “Sit down, Ezra,” said Judge Brand calmly. Bobbett, glaring vacantly, slipped slowly back into his chair. His knotted hands roved absently over the table-top and he waited breathlessly for the rest of the judge’s story. “That game of cards,’ proceeded Judge Brand, “was a little proceeding known as ‘two pluck one.’ The gambler and his part- ner had the stranger between them, and did about as they pleased with the cards. The stranger was known as ‘Pecos Rufe,’ in the easy-going way of the West in those old days. “Steady, Bobbett! Just put the clamps Lady Ann’s wide, CORMICLOOOKS (E@)