The Argosy, Vol. 82, No. 3 — page 180: what you’re looking at

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

554 Reeves knew little about the locating of mining claims, and he was proceeding en- tirely on instructions from the judge. He gathered that his right to the property was in hazard, but just how he could not under- stand. In the circumstances, and rather by chance than otherwise, he did the right thing. Taking down the notice of Juan Rosario Rayner, he put up his own in its place. His idea was to hasten back to camp and show the Rayner placard to Brand. Reeves, eager for a little exercise, had walked to the pocket. He wished now that he had secured a saddle horse for the trip, inasmuch as that would have enabled him to lose no time in getting back. Nevertheless, he made good speed down the gully and along the gulch, and came breathless and excited to the adobe. He found the judge examining his large-cali- bered, short-barreled pocket pistols. “Did you draw the loads in these guns, Reeves?” the judge inquired. “T?” Reeves answered. “Certainly not “Then they were tampered with during the night,” went on Brand. ‘The der- ringers are useless, and I’ll have to call on Robbins for ammunition. I’m all at sea about this,” he added reflectively. ‘“‘They hung from the wall, there, in the belt. The living-room window was open, and a man could have reached in and tampered with the weapons easily enough. But what was the reason? Who could have done it?” “That wasn’t the only unusual thing that has happened,” said Reeves. He explained about the Rayner notice, and showed the printed form to the judge. The latter adjusted his spectacles. “Hm!” he muttered. “This is mighty interesting. Your claim has, been jumped, Reeves.” “Jumped?” “Stolen; but the thief can’t make good until he files his location with the recorder in Penyan. Who did this? The name Rayner indicates Gentleman Jim, but he isn’t ‘Juan Rosario.’ It would be well for you, I think, to get a horse and make a quick run to Penyan. Lucky thing you put up your own notice and took this one down. By George! Something seems to be doing in the old camp, all at once. We shall have to—”’ Just at that moment the door was flung open, and Robbins and Castle burst into the room in great excitement. !%? THE ARGOSY. ‘““Judge,”’ cried Robbins, “all our cart- ridges have been stolen from the marshal’s office, and there isn’t a gun in camp that holds a loaded shell!” “It must have been done last night,” added Castle. “You see,” pursued Robbins, ‘‘we have been careful to keep all the cartridges in our hands, so there wouldn’t be any pro- miscuous shooting. Now the ammunition has vanished!” “And that isn’t all,” continued Castle. ‘“‘Lafe Smedders was tied up at the corral, last night, and all the horses and mules, and even the burro, were run off. There’s not hide nor hair of them to be found this morning! What do you know about that?” Judge Brand took a thoughtful turn up and down the room. Finally he paused. “When I got off the Limited at Rocky Spur,” said he, “I saw some old coaches and freight cars on a siding. ‘They were festooned with printed banners carrying the words, ‘Castle’s ’49 Camp.’ I gathered from that,’ and here the judge smiled, “that you had hired a company of actors to put on a show here for my benefit. De- velopments since I reached Nugget Notch have convinced me that I am right in my surmise.” Robbins looked guilty. “T did the best I could, judge,” he an- swered, apologetically. “It was a large or- der you gave me, you know, and I—” “That’s all right, Amos,” the other in- terrupted. “I have had a good deal of fun, and I am not kicking. Just tell me, short off, if this disappearance of the am- munition and the live stock is a stunt put on by Castle’s players for my own particu- lar enjoyment?” “Heavens, no!” cried Castle. ‘Neither Robbins nor I knew a thing about it.” “Very well, then,” said the judge briskly. “Who tied up Smedders? He must have seen the man, or men, whoever they were.” “Jim Rayner and Don Quesada,” an- swered Robbins. “They’re up to some- thing.” “T never did have much confidence in Rayner,” muttered Castle, ‘but he has al- ways played the game fair, up to now. What do you suppose-—” The door, flung open by Castle and Rob- bins, had remained ajar. A tall form sud- denly showed itself at the threshold, a form that leveled a brace of revolvers and cov- ered the four in the adobe. Gomichook (E@)