Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 18, 1925 — page 134: what you’re looking at

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

. - Paty (, 19) 284 ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. At the doorway ne found Hazel and told her of his mission. ‘“‘ Better come along," he urged. you was gettin’ home.” Without a word she followed him into the darkness and rode beside him into Man- ford once again without a word. For to speak would have been to betray what was moving in her mind; and her thoughts were all for Cosgrove. * Time Gaines whisked the car into the court- house square at Manford and had te shout so that his voice might be heard above the thunder of the gale. ‘““T'll drive you home first!” he cried. “No!” she said. “Tl stay with you.” The square was all but deserted. In the courthouse they found Sheriff Christoffer- son, profoundly disturbed, and seven men were grouped about him. They talked fatuously, and it was obvious that their words covered the knowledge that they were incapable of action. At the entrance of Gaines and the girl, they subsided in sul- len embarrassment. “ Did they get em?” the sheriff demand- ed eagerly. “No,” Gaines answered. ‘“‘ Thanks to a girl they didn’t. While you hombres ran round in circles this young lady rode out and gave us warnin’ enough to snake Far- ley out of the way before they got there.” ‘‘ Where is he?” “Over at Sheerwater. He’s safe for the present, but I’m takin’ you boys back with me an’ aS many more as we can depend on. We got to hold him safe till Cosgrove gets back!” The sheriff’s square face fell lugubriously. “ Ain’t he with you?” “No. He’s gone ‘lone riding after Led- erer. Lederer lit out for the hills.” “ But, my God!” cried the sheriff. “ We'll never hold them without Cosgrove!” “Who else can we have?” snapped Gaines. “ There’s Pedley an’ Morgan and a dozen others. The jurymen are all with us. But they’re all gone out to the Bar Nothing.” _ “Leave one man here to bring ’em over as soon as they get back. Get yore rifles, boys, an’ come with me,” Gaines ordered, There was an obedient movement as they hurried about the room, and there was a businesslike clicking as they made sure their rifles were prepared. Then there was a movement toward the door. “Wait a minute!” Hazel cried out her command so that it startled them. ‘What about Cosgrove?” she demanded. They stared at her, bewildered, patently asking, “ Well, what of him?” “ Before you go out to Sheerwater, you’ve got to help him!” she cried. “ Don’t you see? He’s gone out alone! He’s in danger! And you only think of saving the wretched hide of the man who tried his best to see him killed!” Gaines looked troubled. ‘“ But it’s what he would want, Hazel,” he protested. “ Can’t you see this is what — he wanted us to do?” | “What good will it do him to do what you think he wanted, if he dies out in the mountains all alone?” she said. “ And that’s what it amounts to. Death! He will. pursue Lederer until he overtakes him! And de you think that Lederer won’t fight? I tell you he'll fight as-a coyote fights; treacherously, without honor or fair play. He'll ambush him in the dark! He’ll shoot in the back! “And you know how Cosgrove will deal with him! I tell you he doesn’t know what fear means! You know that! And God knows how many men Lederer may have with him! You can’t go to Sheerwater now! You've got to go out and save him first!” “ But the mob—” ‘How, can we be responsible for the mob? We've done our best. We’ve brought him in and put him in a safe place. Oh, why can’t you see the truth. Nothing is achieved if Cosgrove dies! Anything we do will be only failure then. And you talk of saving this beast, this skunk, while his life is in danger!” “But Wert Farley is your uncle, girl! He’s your own father’s brother!” She laughed bitterly. “A fine brother! My father’s brother! And he shielded the man who murdered him to condemn an innocent man to death!” ‘But he is your uncle! You’ve got to think first of your own flesh and blood!”