The Argosy, Vol. XXIV No. 2 — page 79: what you’re looking at

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

THE TRACK OF MIDNIGHT. a7t ‘Good luck to you, old man, you’re just in time,’’ Douglas cried out. ‘‘Why, what is in the wind ?’ Johnson exclaimed, as he dismounted. ‘‘ The house is to be burned down tonight,’’ Douglas replied. ‘It’s this way,’’ Farrell added. ‘‘ We were on our road up when we fell in with a couple of police who were on a roving commission, and joined our camp. Floods delayed us a bit, and at some places the stock was not ready for us, so we are really some three months late. Buta day’s journey from here, when we did manage to get through, we were stuck up by our old friend.’’ “* Midnight ?’’? Johnson exclaimed. ‘““The same,’’ Farrell replied. ‘‘ He didn’t know, evidently, we had troopers with us, and he and his men had a nasty time of it, only himself and two others getting away with their lives. We suffered a bit, too, and made all haste on here, expecting to find you and Wilton. Instead we found Douglas, who made us corafortable, and we decided to camp here until you and Wilton came back, But a day or so since the black came and gave us the tip that to- night Midnight was going to burn the place down and wipe us all out. We sent word round, and have so far managed to muster ten, all good shots and well armed. You make the eleventh, and, as it is your house that is to be burned, you had better take the lead.’’ ‘This is very encouraging,’’ Johnson observed, looking around at the men. : ‘“We’ve drawn up a little scheme of our own,’’ Douglas said. ‘‘ It means the loss of the house, but we think it will settle Midnight once and for all.”’ ‘‘ What’s the scheme ?’’ Johnson asked. ‘‘ We decided to lie outside, under cover, and wait. If the tale the black fellow brought is true, Midnight only has two white men with him now. That means he would set fire to the place at once and pick us off as we came out. Instead of that we would pick him off; he cannot well dodge half a score bullets all at once, and we were going to let him have a volley, trusting to luck to roll the others over.’’ Johnson thought for a few minutes in silence. ** We'll soon run up a fresh shanty,’’ one of the men said. “What do you say ?’’ Farrell asked. “It’s worth trying,’’ Johnson answered at length. ‘“T doubt if we shall ever want another chance at him,’’ Douglas said as he proceeded to give Johnson the details of their scheme. The places where they would lie under cover had already been selected, and as Johnson went from one to to another he saw how entirely the front of the house was commanded. ‘If every one fires at the same time it will be impossible for him to escape,”’ he exclaimed. ‘We think so,’’ Farrell, who was with him, replied. ‘“If he does-——’’ Johnson began and stopped. It would not do to let too many into the secret of the cave at the head of the gully. He took an early opportunity of speaking to Douglas. ‘‘If he should escape,’’ he said, ‘‘ he will make for the cave where Wilton was shot. You and I had better keep the knowledge to ourselves and slip away after him.’’ Eomichbooks 5}