Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 4, 1922 — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

334 stooping, he gathered the boy up in his arms with a swift, gentle movement and strode off through the gathering dusk while she followed with the bag and bottle. The car was at the side of the road headed once more in the direction in which it had originally been traveling, and the girl settled herself in the tonneau supporting her brother in her arms as the chauffeur eased him down beside her and they started slow- ly upon the homeward way. As they turned into the branch road Briggs glanced over his shoulder. “All right, ma’am? Ain’t shakin’ him up too much, am I?” ‘“No. My brother hasn’t moved.” For the first time she smiled faintly. ‘ You’ve been awfully good; I don’t know how I should have managed without you!” “ Any white man would have done as much!” That portion of his face which was visible beneath the goggles reddened, how- ever, at her praise. ‘‘ The reason why I asked you about Dexter was because this bus can travel faster than any horse, and if you'll send a man with me to show me the way so that I won’t lose any time, [ll drive in for the doctor as soon as I get you to the ranch.” The twilight was deepening into dark when, just before they reached the gate of the Circle Six, a whirlwind cavalcade swept from it and dashed furiously down the road toward them, with Wes Hayward in the lead and Tad Mason, Link Dole, and several more strung out behind him. Briggs slowed down, and the group separated as they came on and drew up on each side of the car. “ Miss Sue!’ Wes gulped. “ You found him! Gosh Almighty, is he hurt bad?” “Tm afraid so. A shot just grazed his head, but there’s another through his knee- cap,” Susanna responded. ‘¢Who done it?” The others had crowd- ed their bronchos closer. ‘‘T don’t know, but there’s a dead pinto back there on the State road where our wires are down.” She shifted her burden slightly, and a low moan came from the boy’s white lips. ‘‘ Some of you might rec- ognize him by the markings.” ‘““T reckon we don’t need to see him to ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. figger what outfit he belongs to!” Wes turned with a quiet menace to the chauffeur. ‘“And you! You're the feller that had to be held up to make you stop! We been hearin’ all about it from a gray-muzzled ole coyote that blew into the ranch with two females! You—” An ominous murmur arose from the others, and Susanna cried: ‘“No, Wes! He only obeyed orders at first, and he’s been splendid! I never should have been able to bring Lee in without his help! Let one of the boys lead your bronc home and you get in with me.” The change was effected, and as the car started off slowly once more the others fell in behind except for Tad Mason, who at a sign from the foreman, galloped off down the road. ‘“We'd ha’ been out lookin’ for you be- fore this, Miss Sue, but Clint brought in word that the wires were down away over on the aidge of the west section, beyond the crick, an’ we kited out there,” Wes ex- plained. ‘“That must have been just a blind to draw as many of you as possible from this end of the range.” Susanna had lowered her voice. ‘You think it was Jake Brower?” ‘‘ Him, or some of that greaser outfit of his’n! Sheriff and two of his dep’ties are huntin’ him now, but they say he ain’t showed up around Dexter for two or three days, nor Pedro Ruiz and Felix Mesega either. We've just naterally got to run that outfit out of the county, but we can’t do it on the say-so of—”’ He hesitated, and Susanna finished for him. ‘Of the Del Rio girl? She can’t be so bad, Wes. Remember how she worked over the boys who were hurt when Montana Dan tried to shoot up the town?” ‘Good or bad, Miss Sue, when a female gits mad at some pore feller ’cause she cain’t put her brand on him, there ain’t nothin’ too ornery for her to accuse him of! But Felix Mesega is mixed up in this business with Jake, shore. When we got back to the ranch-house we found that Bull’e-eye had come in, shot through the shoulder, and then Moonlady. We knew you must be with COmiclbooks.Gom