Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 23, 1924 — page 58: what you’re looking at

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

216 ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. Also, Channing suspected that they had been taken away from the shack at his, Bassett’s, orders. Bassett also knew that at this minute Channing was yearning to kill him and that, if he found circumstances justified such action, he would do it. What overjoyed Bassett at this minute was the fact that he hadn’t done anything for which he ought to be killed. .He had been perfectly gentlemanly about every- thing, and regular. He’d been polite to the woman; he’d fed her, had taken her in, had hired her. Everything was all regular and straight. Channing couldn’t complain. Yet Bassett knew he would complain; that was what he had come for. But he’d been too “ slick” for Channing. He smiled into Channing’s flaming eyes, and though he stiffened he didn’t flinch a bit when Channing crossed the floor of the stable and stood within arm’s: length of him. Channing’s body had slouched a lit- tle, his feet were planted a little farther apait than usual, his arms were hanging limply at his sides and his head was shoved forward in that queer way which betrays a wanton lust for violence. “ Where’s the woman and the child, Bas- sett?” said Channing. His voice was dry and light. But it was also steady. Not a quaver in it. No pas- sion, no excitement. Yet it portended vio- lence. No matter how deeply you hated Chan- ning you couldn’t help’admiring him! Here he was. He’d been fooled; the woman and the child had been taken from the shack and still you couldn’t have told that he was excited about it! “They’re up in the house, Channing. I took them up there to feed them. Did you find any traces of wolves?” “ Bassett, you’re a damned liar! There wasn’t any wolves. You knew it when you sent me to look for them! If you’ve been bull-dozin’ that woman—”’ ““Shucks!” broke in Bassett. ‘ Bull- dozin’ her! This is my place, ain’t it? An’ if I want to invite a woman to breakfast, there ain’t no one goin’ to stop me. You don’t need to be so cussed scared. There ain't nothin’ happened to them. Right now they’re up there runnin’ the house. I’ve hired her to work for me!” It amused Bassett to see the queer light that leaped into Channing’s eyes. Jealousy! That news had taken the starch out of Channing. Inwardly, Channing was writh- ing; he was in a black rage. There was murder in Channing’s heart! ‘Go up an’ have a talk with them,” sug- gested Bassett. His blood was surging in fierce exultation; he would have laughed aloud at Channing had he dared. Channing did not answer. He turned, walked out of the stable, went up the path toward the house and stepped up on the kitchen porch. Bassett watched him. It was sort of carrying on with a high hand, Bassett thought, this thing of a man going right up to the house like that—his house, Bassett’s! Just as if he owned the place. Just as though he, Bassett, was a negligible quan- tity; as if he was not being considered at all! Bassett’s thoughts became abysmal. He stood in the stable door fighting the strange malady that lately had gripped him. His teeth were tightly clenched, his eyeg sullen. Channing saw Jane Winthrop in the kit- chen. She had heard his step and had come toward the door. Her face was flushed, but there was delight in her eyes. Of course, she didn’t know what sort of a man Bassett was; she didn’t know how matters stood between Channing and Bas- sett. Channing had come with the intens tion of telling her, but. when he saw the de- light in her eyes he knew she thought she had found a haven, and he decided he’d keep his thoughts to himself. Besides, if he told her what he knew about Bassett she’d insist upon going right back to Red Mesa to take the next train. He didn’t want that to happen. “Good mornin’,” he said. ‘So yow’re all established, eh? Bassett was tellin’ me. I’m right sorry I wasn’t around earlier. But there was some wolves at the herd, an’ that couldn’t be neglected.” “Mr. Bassett told me about them,” he said. His lips curved a little at the “ Mr.” But there was no emotion in his voice. CORNICE OOKS (F@)