Argosy All-Story Weekly, 4 February 1922 — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

a ERS ment. “You cannot be serious! There a eat ee Pa ae —— 28 = = aes eae a 5 the other of them in incredulous amaze- of incongruity when contrasted with hiro =a are -no road-agents left in this part of the - country, to say nothing of female ones.’ = “So I would have been willing to swear - an hour ago, but I have had reason to - change my mind,” Acheson remarked. =, = “The young woman most certainly meant business, even though the single shot she fired was into the air, and our chauffeur - recognized the signs. You remember Briggs? I selected him to pilot us on this ZED because I suspect him of an origin in the gangster element of the lower East ~ Side, and although I did not actually an- hat trouble of this sort, I thought that he would have more nerve in a possible emergency than the impeccable Francois. = He put up his hands without a murmur, - however, and I cannot say that I blame — hin, considering that the lady had us cov- ered from the start.” -“ But it—it’s all too utterly impossible to believe!” Garry exploded. ‘You must RU =, “= = a ee and made the butt of a stupid sort of prac- 8 tical joke!” — ~ “Tf you think it could be any one’s con- se ception of a joke to force a person in my state of health to leave her car at the mouth of a—a gun, Mr. Chanler, and walk for miles—” Mrs. Acheson’s voice ended Bee in a groan. “You spoke of two pistols—” Garry turned helplessly to the younger woman. ‘Was there an accomplice? Fae _ were there in the gang which held you up?” | > “ Only one,” Acheson replied before his - daughter could speak. “The young lady was alone on a great black horse, but she 2 ‘operated both guns most effectively from = . the hip. > sy Two-Gun Sue! The oo thought flashed blindingly across Garry’s _ mind, and for a moment his senses reeled. ~ It was utterly absurd, of course, and yet = what could be more unbelievable than the actual presence here before him in the West- ern wilderness of this astute Wall Street = aiiet and his luxury-loving wife, to say ~ nothing of the very girl who had been in — stermpen as the epitome Fao ae gts was ve been mistaken for some other party . How many . immediate surroundings! Choking back an almost. hysterical ten- dency to mirth the young man eyed the older one speculatively. A girl on a great black horse; hadn’t he heard somewhere, from Big Matt perhaps, that Susanna Poin- = dexter rode a black mare which she had broken herself? If there could be some “oa possible explanation— <s “ But—but didn’t the young woman say anything?” Garry stammered at last. “ You spoke of her commandeering the car. Didn’t she offer any reason for holding you up in that fashion?” “ She blocked the road and drew her gun when Briggs wouldn’t stop the car—” Ache- ied ; ae i . peers Ss See son began again, but once more his wife A interrupted. = “The creature uttered some far-fetched an excuse about some one having beenhurtand ts it being a matter of life and death, but any ze one could tell by the way she handled those - dreadful pistols that she was a desperate = character! She pointed both of them at ae us when I ordered Briggs to drive on and force her to get out of the way after he = had stopped to avoid running her down, ten and on Daisy’s further remonstrances she fired that shot! I consider it a mercy that = we were not all killed outright!” x “ The—the young woman said that it was a a life-and-death emergency?” Garry repeat- = ed slowly. “She compelled you to leave =e your car and then drove off with Briggs?” a “Yes,” Acheson affirmed, “ After dis- Se mounting and sending her horse back along s—i«w this road which she directed us to take.” a “And where did she say that it would — lead?” Astonishment had given place to eager interest in the young man’s tones. = ‘To a ranch where she seemed quite as-« sured that we would find hospitality.” The financier was eying him narrowly, “Look here, Chanler, you know something! What is it? What did this melodramatic per- : , », & : ; ., : ' : ? L .) ' “ct “— : a cy » f : ; An \ ai hs ; ‘ formance mean?” = “JI have no more idea than you, Mr. as Acheson,” Garry responded. “ Did this en- ZR terprising road agent offer any assurance = of returning your stolen property?” Soong “ She said that the car would be brought 5 to us there when she had finished = F< ; ~ Nae sem! SOS, < ‘ A Oks —- * €omicbooks.cc > wi .