The Argosy, Vol. 84 No. 2 — page 136: what you’re looking at

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

318 Gerard well knew the cause of the other’s amazement, for he realized that tu Symmonds he must seem as the dead come to life. The fellow, however, mastered his emotion in an instant, and dismounting came slowly forward with his hand out- stretched. “T don’t blame you, stranger, for keeping that gun ready after what hap- pened the other evening,” he said. “ You can put it up, though. I just sort of came up to apologize. I had been drink- .ing and I did not know what I was doing. I came up yesterday to try to explain; but I could not find you.” Derby stared at him hard. He re- alized that Symmonds had no reason to think that he knew who his assailant in the mine had been, and he felt that it was as well to keep the information to _ himself. ; He dropped the gun to his side, but did not return it to the holster. “Thank you for coming to explain,” he said dryly. “I would not come too near these horses if I were you. They both kick.” Symmonds bit his lip till the blood almost came. Then silently he remount- ed and rode away. Derby watched until the horseman’s figure stood out on the sky line where the trail dipped for the last time. Not until then did he slip the automatic back into the holster. Later in the day Pedro returned and stolidly held out the receipt from the postmaster. Gerard paid him the two dollars which had been promised to him by Nancy; and then went into the shack to find his letter to the postal inspector. “ Did you meet any one on your way back from Independence?” he asked of the Indian boy as he came out with the letter in his hand. 3 “Meet him, Symmonds,” grunted the latter. Gerard whistled between his teeth. “ Did he say anything to you?” ‘Him ask me where I been.” THE ARGOSY. “Did you tell him?” “Yes,” nodded the boy stolidly. ‘““How much did he offer to pay you to give him the next letter which you re- ceived to mail for us?” asked Derby sharply. Not a muscle -in the Indian’s face moved. 3 Derby reached forward and took the boy’s hand. “Come, Pedro,” he said in a soft voice by which one who knew him better would have been warned. ‘“ How much was it?” “Him say nothing.” Slowly Derby bent back the little fin- ger of the boy’s hand. It was brutal, but it was no time for niceties. “How much?” he repeated softly, lean- ing over and peering into the Indian’s eyes. Steadily he pressed the finger back until it almost bent double. “ How much?” With a shriek of pain the boy yielded. “Ten dollars!” he shrieked. Derby released the boy’s hand and slipped the letter back into his pocket. He stepped back into the shack and brought out a Winchester rifle. The boy’s eyes shone greedily as he look at it. ‘Here is another letter,” said Derby grimly. “If I get an answer to it you shall have that rifle. If I do not—” He tapped the barrel meaningly. “ Will you mail it?’ The boy reached out for the letter. ““Me mail,” he muttered. Then he swung himself onto his lean pony and galloped off. “Tt is taking a chance,” thought Derby, “but it has to be done.” His optimism was justified, however, when the next day Pedro rode back into camp and proudly showing his receipt de- manded the rifle. Whether because Ger- ard’s treatment of him was in accord with tribal precedent or simply because the boy was lonely, a singular affection for Derby seemed to have sprung up in his sullen young heart and for two days he stayed about the camp, helping with the COMIC OOOKS (C@