Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 4, 1922 — page 131: what you’re looking at

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

THE BLOOD-CALL. “ Like as not you'll beat the bird to a pulp,” Trilles said. “ But they’s a little tiny chanst you’d better not forgit. He may be lighter’n you, but he’s got a rip- snortin’ twirl to them fists of his.” “1m thinkin’ of that little chanst now,” Taurog said under his breath. ‘“ These here men want to see me in action—and if I can beat the hell-bender it ’Il mean they'll stand by me the rest of their days.” “ And if you don’t beat him?” “We've got to win the fight so’s the crowd won’t think it’s a frame-up.” “T’ve told you I ain’t goin’ to do no shootin’ with the whole county as a wit- ness,” Trilles warned. ‘‘ They’s five hun- dred people out thar.” “T wanted them for witnesses. That’s the reason I axed them to come to the fight. Quade ain’t goin’ to leave that thar corral alive and I axed the county to come and act as witness to the fact that Quade was killed by accident. You get my point, Trilles, this is all in case the fight goes ag’in’ me. I ain’t lookin’ for to be beat up by a lanky young kid of twenty or thirty. But in case I lose my wind or don’t come back good after punches or somethin’ else goes ag’in’ me, I want for the stranger to be finished up proper—” “ Chief,” Trilles said resolutely, “ I'll kill for you—any time and anybody and any- wheres. you say—so long as I can get away without some jury invitin’ me to a necktie. party. I’ve always done your orders, ain’t I, chief? cain’t help you. They’s too many people out thar waitin’ to act as witnesses. Some is our friends and some ain’t. They want a fight and they likewise want a murder. But they ain’t goin’ to keep neither secret. Chief, I’m afraid. That’s what. I ain’t got the nerve. You can’t count on me.” “‘T ain’t countin’ on you for no murder,” Taurog said. ‘ What I want you to do is to act like a referee. Then if you see I’m gettin’ the worst of the fight, I want for you to loosen a gate on the: north side of the corral where I’m goin’ to have a box. In that box is goin’ to be put my jack- dog. As soon as the jack-dog is let out he’ll see that I’m fightin’ with some one. whenever he sees me wrastlin’ with any- But here’s one time when I 44) body—don’t matter who—even a dance-girl that I’m tryin’ to dance with—he makes it out that I’m attacked. And he jumps for their throat.” 7 “ Sure, I know, chief; I seen how he killed Gomez. But—” “‘ But what? There ain’t no ‘ buts.’ He'll jump for Quade’s throat, and do you think I'll call him off? Yl call him off, all righto —ike hell!” The shouting and cheering died down as a new toast was being proposed. Juan Scaly had just sworn that if Quade were not killed in the ring by a blow of Taurog’s fist, he would get some lead in his chin as soon as he started to walk out of the corral. The other guests shouted him down while the Dead Cow proprietor arose, and after drinking the host’s health announced that every one present was invited to the Dead Cow dance-hall that night to celebrate Taurog’s victory. In one of the adobe out-houses, another dinner of a less festive sort was being served. Pedro, taciturn to the point of dumbness, admitted a woman who carried a platter with potatoes, a chuck of beef and a drink of mescal. Quade ate heartily of the food, but avoided the liquor. The woman wait- ed, watching him eat, while Pedro stood as usual at the doorway—the only opening to the little hut—where he had been rolling in- numerable cigarettes with Bull Durham. ‘Close the door, Pedro,” she ordered. ‘“‘T want to talk to him alone.” The woman was dressed ‘in the inevitable gingham dress, enlivened by a zarape of brilliant hue about her shoulders. ‘J am Nell Gamble,” she said. “I have come to bring you encouragement because you are fighting with five hundred people against you.” Jim looked up in surprise at the brown flabby face thick with brunette powder and the lips vivid with rouge. ‘“‘T don’t know that I’ve met you before,” he said. : ‘““No. You have never seen me. There’s no cause for explaining who I am. I’m just Nell Gamble, let it go at that. But I’ve come to tell you there’s one person out of the five hundred that have come to the crater—one person who is on your side— COmiclbooks.Gonn