Argosy, Vol. 111, No. 1 — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

TO an’ after I had Irene’s son with me, money was the cheapest way of gettin’ rid of ’em.”’ “ T'll buy the plot.” ‘“‘ Have you got that much money, lad?” “Yes,” lied Pierre calmly. The bright eyes grew dimmer and then fluttered close. Pierre started to his feet, thinking that the end had come. But the voice began again, fainter, slowly: “No light left mside of me, but dyin’ this way is easy. There ain’t no wind will blow on me after I’m dead, but I'll be blanketed safe from head to foot m cool, ‘sweet-smellin’ sod—the kind that has tan- gles of the roots of grass. There ain’t no snow will reach to me where I he. There ain’t no sun ‘will burn down to me. Dyim’ like that is jest—goin’ to sleep.” After that he said nothing for a time, and the late afternoon darkened slowly through the room. As for Pierre, he did not move, and his mind went back. He: did not see the bearded wreck who lay dying before him, but a picture of Irene, with the sun light- img her copper hair with places of burning gold, and a handsome young giant beside her. They rode together on some upland trail at sunset time, sharply framed: against the bright sky. Their hands were to- gether; their faces were raised: they laughed, from the midst of their smail heaven. 3 There “ Trene!”’ And Pierre looked down to blankly star- ing eyes. He groaned, and dropped to his knees. ‘“‘T have come for you,” said the whis- per, “ because the time’ has come, Irene. We have to ride out together. We have a long ways to go. Are you ready?” “Yes,” said Pierre. “Thank God! It’s a wonderful night. The stars are asking us out. Quick! Into your saddle. Now the spurs. So! We are alone and free, with the winds around us, and all that we have been forgotten be- _hind us. Irene, look up with me!” The eyes opened wide and stared up; without a stir in the great, gaunt body he was dead. Pierre drew the eyes reverently shut. There were no tears m his eyes, but was a whisper below him: THE ARGOSY. a feeling of hollowness about his heart, and a great pain. He straightened and looked about him and found that the room was quite dark. So in the dimness Pierre fumbled, by force of habit, at his throat, and found the cross which he wore by a silver chain about his throat. He held it in a great grip and closed his eyes and prayed. When he opened his eyes again it was almost deep night in the room, and Pierre had passed from youth to mamhood. Through the gloom nothing stood out distinctly save the white face of the dead man, end from that Pierre looked quickly away. “One by one he numbered his obliga- tfons to Martin Ryder, and first and tast he remembered the le which had soothed his father. The money for that corner plot where the grass grew first in the spring of the vear—where was he to fmd it? He fumbled im this pocket and found only a stngte coin. He leaned back against the wall and Strove to concentrate on the problem, but his thoughts wandered in spite of himself back to the snows of Canada, to the let- ter, to the ride south, the death of the roan, and so on until he reached his entry to that very room. Looking backward, he remembered ail things much more clearly than when ‘he had actually seen them. For instance, he recalle:l now that as he walked thrcugh the door the two ‘frgures which had started up to block his way had left behind them some pPlaving-cards at the corner table. One of these cards had slipped from the edge of the board and flickered slowly to: the floor. With that ‘memory the thoughts of Pierre le Rouge stopped. The picture of the failing card remained; ‘all else went out in his mind like the snuffing of the candle. Then, as if he heard a voice directmg-him through the utter blackness of the room, he knew what he must do. All his wealth was the single half-dollar piece in his pocket, and there was only one way in which .that coin could be increased to the sum he would need to buy that cor- ner plot, where the soul of old Martm Ry- der could sleep long and deep. : GommiGcboo @) S Co