Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 4, 1922 — page 141: what you’re looking at

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

THE BLOOD-CALL. “The fight is not finished,” Quade re- peated firmly. ‘‘ Taurog is ahead of his posse. It is the first time that I have had the chance to meet him alone. I am - going back. I will come back on this trail and join you.” Kirbie drew her horse to the side of his and clung to Quade’s arm. He reached over and the two embraced. She returned his kisses, fervently crying, “If you are killed—”’ “The fight’s got to be. It’s the safest for your sake, and as for my part in it, Taurog and I must finish it out.” Quade broke from her embrace, dug his heels into the flanks of his horse and loped down the trail. In another moment he had plunged into the shadows of the canon below and his form merged into the dark- ness of the bear-brush. CHAPTER XXIII. QUADE AT THE END OF HIS QUEST. leading him into the thick shrubbery of the canon bed, followed the con- tour of the barer side slopes. He estimated that a two-mile ride would bring him to Taurog, who to all appearances had entered the lower opening of the canon and was climbing the trail in the valley bed. When Quade met him, Taurog would be a hun- dred yards below—a slight disadvantage for him, which Quade did not wish to over- look. . But Quade’s superior position was not worth the price he paid for it. He did not realize the fact that Taurog was skilled by many years of living and fighting in the desert country. Although Quade’s eyes were the sharper they had not recently been trained in the ways of the cattle-country and desert. Quade had spent the last years in the city where no time was given to scanning evening horizons or distinguishing horsemen from tree yuccas and bear-brush. Added to this difference in their eyesight Quade had chosen a trail much more ex- posed to view. Taurog saw him first. Upon making this discovery Taurog climbed up a little arroyo or gulch until he O xin took a trail which, instead of 451 was on a level with Quade’s trail. Here he waited, listening to the banging of the hoofs of Quade’s horse. Quade was riding swiftly, but taking advantage of every shadow, and clinging to the background of bear-brush which he knew protected him from the view of any rider who chanced to be in the canon. Presently he rounded a bend in the trail and came out in the open, and both men saw each other on the in- Stant. Taurog had the drop, and fired, although Quade was a long distance away. As Quade drew in his horse, Taurog fired again, then leaped from his saddle and hid behind his mount. Quade returned the fire, his four shots cutting vivid streaks in the growing dusk. He did not fire the other two shots. In- stead his gun dropped from his hand be- cause of a wound which ripped the flesh of his forearm from wrist to elbow. He was about to vault to the ground and pick up his gun when he realized this was impossible without making a target of him- self. Taurog had chucked to his horse and was advancing under the shield the big animal afforded him. Quade knew in that - brief second of deliberation that his gun was lost. There was only one move to make then; he yanked his horse’s head up to his body, wheeled around, crouched low over the pommel, and galloped back up the trail while Taurog emptied his chamber in a rapid string of fire. As Quade rounded the trail he spurred his horse on to the next cliff. He cursed his luck at having lost his gun, but he knew that if he had dismounted to regain it, he would most surely have been hit—and the wound would have been much more serious than that which was now drenching his shirt, trousers, and saddle. What to do was a vital question. He could keep to the trail pressing his horse into its fastest gallop. The chances were strong of his rejoining the girl before Tau- rog could get within range. But then what? If he pursued this plan he would lead Tau- rog to the girl. There would be more shoot- ing this time between the girl and Taurog— Quade being unarmed and helpless, This plan was perhaps the safest—but it was COmicCclbooks.Gonmn