Argosy, Vol. 117, No. 2 — page 164: what you’re looking at

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

o14 what had happened to their companion. They wheeled long enough to send bullets flying in the direction of the others, but the bullets went wild. Then a surprising thing happened. A man-stepped out of the shadow along the track and thrust forward a hand holding a revolver. Jerry uttered a moan of disgust. He supposed that somehow or other one of the company’s detectives had got wind of the intended robbery and had arrived on the scene in time to capture one and _pos- sibly two of the robbers. Jerry heard the man calli loudly to the other two to hold up their hands. But the men did not obey. There was a flash from the gun of the tallest of the men. But the newcomer did not fall. Instead, his own eun flashed. The tall man threw up his hands, his knees collapsed, and he pitched forward on his face. The second of the would-be robbers dis- appeared into the shadows out of which the interrupting figure had come. “Damn you, whoever you are,” Jerry breathed; “ you’ve spoiled my game.” Still supposing the man down there was a company detective, he began to run to- ward him. As he neared the man, he saw that he -had turned and was facing toward him. He held his gun in his hand. There was a tenseness in the man’s atti- tude that warned Jerry. He acted like a man.at bay more than like a detective who had aided in thwarting a robbery. The man shifted on his feet and leaned forward, staring at Jerry. “ Ah,” Jerry breathed to himself, as un- derstanding came to him. He had recognized Sven Jenseti. He understood the situation now.- Jensen had broken with the professional robbers. He had recruited new assistants and had come here to give battle to the robbers and then to rob the car. But he had not had nerve enough to make the first move. He had sent his assistants ahead of him. They had not known that three desperate men were planning to rob the car at this hour. With his revolver in his hand, Jerry stepped into the darkness which the box cars made. He slipped along in this dark- ness till he was almost opposite Jensen. THE ARGOSY. ; He could easily shoot Jensen from where he stood. The Swede was staring at the spot at which Jerry had disappeared. ‘But Jerry had no lust to slay now. He thought - of Mamie in the instant he stood there, and he knew he did not want to go back to her with blood on his hands unless he had" to shoot Jensen to save his own life. Somehow, for his girl’s sake, he stood — completely within the circle of the law. The passion that had ruled him in the past seemed a bleak and futile thing. He calmly decided to make Sven Jensen a prisoner if the thing could be accomplished. | “Jensen,” he called out,.‘‘ throw up your hands. I don’t want to shoot you. I won’t snoot you unless I have to. But I’ve got you covered.” : The last word was no sooner out of his mouth than Jensen raised his hand with the gun in it.. But he did not at once fire. Jerry could see that the hand was shaking. Then he remembered that Jensen thought he was dead. “Tt’s I, Jerry Donovan,” he said. “Vou liar!” . The words trembled from Jensen’s lips. He pressed the trigger of his revolver and a bullet buried itself in the car above Jerry’s head. Jensen’s hand dropped to his side. He ran his other hand over his forehead, as if his sight had blurred. Jerry sprang from his concealment and ran straight toward the saloon-keeper. Jen- sen shrank back. He seemed bewildered, unable to think. A dozen leaps brought Jerry in front of him. Jensen recovered himself a little when he realized that his capture was imminent. His gun-hand was raised as far as his hip. But Jerry struck him sharply on the fore- arm with his clenched fist and the revolver dropped from Jensen’s fingers. Jerry put his revolver against Jensen’s breast, pressing on the butt of it so that the muzzle was sunk in Jensen’s fat for half an inch. “You're done, Jensen,” Jerry said. “TI could have killed you any time in the last few minutes, but I let you live. You can keep right on livin’ if you don’t move a hand. If you show fight, I’ll have to shoot you. What do you say?” COMME IOO@X (C@