Argosy, Vol. 118, No. 2 — page 141: what you’re looking at

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

CROSSROADS. His going was as silent as the passing of a feather on the wind. ‘And when he stguck, men died. His enemies fear him more than fire and bullets. His friends were tied closer to him than ropes can bind. “ But now El Tigre is fat and old. He would rather have a full belly than be called The Tiger. ‘It-is true. His white father he leaves to rot in a dark place where the sun never strikes. But Onate, who will hunt El Tigre before long, El Tigre crouches before Onate and licks his hand. He has given Onate the life of his white father; he has given Onate his daughter to keep.” “ Ah!” said the Yaqui, and made a step toward her, but checked himself and folded his arms tightly. ‘Men see these things, and laugh,” said the girl. ‘‘ Men smile at the name of El Tigre. They say that the soul of El Tigre has gone and the soul of a coyote come to live in his hide. He has nothing left but his growl, and his teeth are fallen out, and his claws are blunt.” His eyes, wherever they rested on her, were like the stroke of a knife, but other- wise he endured her lashing tongue with marvelous strength. She changed her tone suddenly. ‘‘ Thave been to the white father. I have _told him that I am the daughter of El Tigre, and I lied to him and told him that the heart of El Tigre bled for the sake of his white father. But he isa man. He smiled on me and said that he forgave El Tigre. He made me come back to you; he made me swear to comfort my father, and tell him that Senor Van Dyck holds him as. close as affriend.” ‘Is it true?” said El Tigre hoarseiy. “By all the blood in my heart,” she swore, “it is true. This, and other things. What will you do, El Tigre?” In place of answering, he turned his back on her again and sat down on the mat. And as the girl looked at him, all the fire and fierceness went out of her face and left only the embers of her passion burning in her eyes. A little sound of dole, ) no louder than the hum of a bee, came in her throat, and she stretched out her arms to the stiff, stern back of E] Tigre. 291 He did not know. He would never know. Then she stole back toward the door, and as she opened it she saw E] Tigre raise an end of his blanket and wrap it about his head. The heart of Dolores stood still. CHAPTER XXXII. SPORTING CHANCE. TRAIGHT overhead stood the sun; the shadow of the mesquite bush before the door of the shanty had shrunk to nothing- ness. A time of fierce heat—white heat. The shadow of the hut was hardly a relief, for it shut off the faint touch of the breeze. Perspiration trickled down the red’ nose of Bill Lawton; and the face of the girl was pale. There was silence in the hut, a deep, long silence as heavy as sleep, but more ominous than the silence of a man who watches a snake coiled within striking dis- tance of his feet. The meaning of the silence lay in the pile which mounted on the board on either side of and in front of Jacqueline. In that stack were gold and silver coins, a few paner bills, the golden braid from the sombrero of Noony, the sombrero and bright bandanna of Bill Lawton, two pairs of spurs, two re- volvers, a great hunting-knife, a_ silver watch of great size, a diamond ring of respectable proportions, and a score of odds and ends. The silence held; the eyes of the losers fixed as if fascinated on the pile of loot, and the eyes of the girl went from one to the other. They were stunned, grim. When they began to think their thoughts would be dangerous. . There was no such oblivion in the mind of the girl. ‘ Her brain was working hard and fast, and the thought of the loot was certainly not in it. Suddenly she pushed the pile of winnings to~the center of the board. ‘‘ Gents,” she said easily, “ “pick out® your things.” Noony straightened with such a jerk that it forced a grunt through his set teeth. And Bill Lawton stared at her with haggard eyes. He would rather have lost his right hand than the revolver which was among that (E(0) .OO ANIC KS) (E@)