Argosy All-Story Weekly, March 15, 1924 — page 130: what you’re looking at

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

MYSTERY LAND. - .Channing was a. poor hand with women. He was a complete failure. He’d loved Jane, and lost her; and now he was losing Eve. Warren had her. No chance for Channing. He wished Channing was here, that he might see for himself just how mat- ters stood. Heé’d give something to be able to watch Channing’s face. His paroxysm over, he again watched and listened. toward the house. They paused for some little time on the porch, and then they went in. Bassett could see them in the kitchen, their heads .together, bending over some- thing. Bassett did not wriggle and squirm his way back over the level. Warren and Eve were so interested in each other that they’d never think to look. outside to see if any one was watching them. ‘No need now for secrecy or stealth. He walked like a man. He was thrilling with a vindictive triumph. He knew something that nobody thought he knew. When Eve ‘returned to the Circle B.ranch house he’d have something to say to her, something with a sting in it! - He reached the clump of brush where he had Jeft his horse. The moon had gone behind a cloud, and he couldn’t see the horse very distinctly, but he heard its hoofs clumping impatient- ly in the hard sand, and he moved toward ‘it. He was reaching out to feel for the animal’s neck when he felt a presence be- hind him, felt the hard ring of a gun muzzle pressing tightly against his neck. ‘So this is where you are, eh?” cold voice over his shoulder. “ I thought you'd be headin’ this way sooner or later.” Channing! Channing had suspected him, had cut across country. Channing might even have arrived on the slope above Warren’s shack before he did. Channing’s next words proved that was the case. “ve been watching for you a right ‘smart while,” Channing said, his voice full of contempt. ‘ I was here when you came; I’ve been waitin’ to see what you was up to.” was fear. Bassett’s first emotion ‘His Eve and Warren were walking’ said a. 199 flesh had cringed from contact with the muzzle of Channing’s gun. A hot rage suc- ceeded the fear. That, too, left him. He hadn’t done‘anything. He’d harmed no one. He wasn’t afraid that Channing ‘would shoot him for just prowling around Warren’s shack. Just now it seemed to him that ‘all emotions other than mirth were trivial. ‘“Shucks, Channing,” he said; “ you ain’t got no call to go pokin’ a gun in my back. Ive just been amusin’ myself. Sort of struck me that Eve was stayin’ away Jonger’n she ought to. I come here to see what she was doin’, Eve’s been a whole lot stubborn,.but I never thought she’d let a short-horn like that Warren kiss her.” He paused. He knew Channing wouldn’t ask any questions. That wasn’t Channine’s way. But he felt the gun muzzle waver, felt a perceptible lessening of the pressure against his back. And he heard Channing suck in his breath’ quickly. The evidence that Channing was hurt caused him to cackle softly, hilariously. “Yes, sir—he plumb kissed her! ‘I was standin’ right behind them in the brush. They. was pretty well clinched. They’d been walkin’ in the dark. If he’d ‘have kissed her once it wouldn’t have hurt much, eh? But I reckon he kissed her a dozen times. Worst of it was, she seemed to hike: it.” Bassett felt the gun move again; the muzzle slid down his back, and he knew Channing had lowered it. He had a men- tal picture of the gun dangling in Chan- ning’s hand, and he would have given a great deal to have been able to see Chan- ning’s face. / He stood waiting. He wanted to hear Channing’s voice. And he heard it; it was hoarse, thick, vibrant; although he could tell that Channing was trying to con- trol it. “ Bassett,” said Channing. “get away from here before I kill you!” . Bassett moved to his horse. He found the reins, mounted, and rode-a short dis- tance up the slope. Then he laughed, loud enough for Channing to hear, and beat his horse into a leaping gallop. No telling—Channing might shoot! COMmiicloooe