The Argosy, Vol. 82, No. 3 — page 178: what you’re looking at

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

552 on your nerves until I am done. Pecos was quick to see how the cards were being manipulated, and he accused Gentleman Jim of being crooked. There was a row. Ezra Bobbett pulled a gun and, in the Struggle, the gun was discharged. Pecos dropped. Bobbett and Rayner took his bag of dust and decamped. A grim little incident illustrating life in the Old West, you see, and—” The judge talked in a friendly, conversa- tional tone and not as one describing a tragedy. Reeves was deeply stirred, Lady Ann seemed scarcely to breathe, and Bob- bett, with a despairing groan, dropped his head on his arms. Mrs. Bobbett arose unsteadily and tot- tered to her husband. “So you know of this!”’ she said chok- ingly.. “You have dragged it out o’ the past, after Ezra for years has been livin’ a square life and doing as near right as he knows how! You are taking the part of Jim Rayner against him! You told me, Judge Brand,” and her voice rose accus- ingly, “that you would lift the burden from his shoulders and make him twenty years younger. This is the way you do it!” “Judge Brand,” put in Lady Ann with flashing eyes, “Ezra Bobbett has always been good to me, and I could not think more of my own father than I do of him! I want you to give me some of my money so I can pay Jim Rayner what he asks. You’re not going to make things harder for dad, are you?” she pleaded. “Please wait until I finish,” the judge re- quested. ‘Rayner made Bobbett believe that Pecos Rufe had been killed; and Ray- ner, I think, has been holding that over Bobbett ever since. Am I right?” “Yes, you are,” admitted Ma Bobbett, colorlessly. ‘All this happened before you were born, Lady Ann,” went on the judge, ‘‘and Bob- bett, as you know him, is not the Bobbett who trailed along with Jim Rayner in the old days. I think Ezra Bobbett had a lesson, and that he profited by it. But Gentleman Jim was wrong. Look here, Bobbett.” The judge had opened his flannel shirt at the throat and pulled it back to reveal his bare shoulder. A reddish scar showed against the white flesh. All in the room stared at the scar dazedly. ‘Hugh Adams was not far behind Pecos Rufe on that old Purgatoire trail,” resumed THE ARGOSY. the judge, closing the shirt over the scar, “and he picked up his pardner, took him a and cared for him. Pecos Rufe got well—”’ “Got well.’”’ The words burst from Bob- bett in a gurgling cry and he leaped to his feet. ‘‘What’re you tellin’ me?” ‘The truth,” said the judge solemnly. “TI was not long in recognizing you, Bobbett, although I seem tovhave faded out of your recollection. My name is Rufus Brand; and I was called ‘Pecos’ in the old times because I came from the Pecos country.” Bobbett was like a man stunned. He tried to speak, but his voice hung in his throat. Staggering to the judge, he bent down and peered at him wildly. Ma Bobbett crept back to her chair ard dropped into it. Her white, drawn face was lifted and her lips were moving voice- lessly. Her husband swung around with a gasping cry. ‘Mother! The brand o’ Cain has been wiped from my brow! It’s all been a mis- take, do you hear? Rayner lied to me! Mother! I’m plumb squar’ with the world!” The old man gave vent to a laugh that was half a sob. “It wasn’t so! I didn’t kill Pecos! All these years I’ve had to bear a load that wasn’t mine—that wasn’t anybody’s!”’ Muttering and mumbling he went back to his seat. Then his wife, lifting herself erect, turned a steady gaze full upon his face. ‘Are you square with the world, Ezra Bobbett?”’ she demanded. “Jim Rayner has had his way with you, and you are not yet free of the curse he brought into your life.” Her lips twitched, and tears came to her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. ‘Seems to me there’s another mark you got to wipe away, Ezra, before you can call yourself square,” she added. Bobbett gripped his hands convulsively, and he flinched as from a blow. ‘“T’ve had all I can stand for to-night, Lucindy,” he whimpered. ‘To-morrow, then, you will go with me ~ to Judge Brand?”’ Ma Bobbett went on. ‘Yes, to-morrow. I—I—can’t you see I’m all unstrung? Judge Brand was Pecos —and I never knowed! Liddy, you didn’t know about this, but now you can sabe what’s been hangin’ over me.” Lady Ann went to him, put her soft arms about his neck,bent her own tear-wet cheek to his and whispered soothingly. Judge COPMICLOOKS (E@)