Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 124, No. 2 — page 108: what you’re looking at

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

290 When Sheriff Warren returned, ten min- utes later, Bert met him in the hall and briefly explained to him the situation. When he had finished, the sheriff shook his head slowly and sorrowfully. ‘“T knew no good would come of it,” he * said, as if to himself. ‘I knew no good would come of it.” ‘“No good would come of whatre” Bert asked in surprise. The elder man started. ‘ Nothin’,” he muttered, avoiding Bert’s eyes. Bert frowned. the man at all?” | “T lost ’m,” said the sheriff. ‘I got down-stairs just in time to see ’m drop from th’ porch, but I couldn’t git a shot at ’m, b’fore he disappeared. I don’t know where he headed.” It’s up to us to find out,” said Bert. “ What do you do ina case like this? Have you any deputies, or—”’ The sheriff scratched his head. “ We ain’t never had no case like this ’n b’fore,” he admitted. ‘“ B’fore you came to town ever thin’ was quiet.” Bert bit his lip. “ Well, you’ve got a case like it now. What are you going to do?” : The sheriff was silent, rubbing his palms together .and shifting his watery eyes. Watching him, Bert was filled with con- tempt for the man. Ruth’s father or not, he wasn’t even partially capable of holding the office that was given him! “Tf you don’t know what to do,” said Bert, “I do! We'll get a posse together as quickly as we can, and stretch a net around this town before he can get out. You’re not going to let the man who tried to attack your daughter get away, are you?” . For a moment Warren said nothing. “ Were you able to follow Then his thin lips tightened, and a new light suddenly crept into his faded eyes. “We'll do what you say, young man,” he cried, breathing hard. ‘I’m th’ sheriff here now, no matter how I come to be it— an’ I'll do my duty as I see right ’n fit an’ not be down under nobuddy’s heel no more!” “ You mean Turner?” ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. ‘© Never mind what I mean,” cried War- ren, his face purpled with his unusual wrath. “{ knew nothin’ but bad could come of it all! ‘TThere’s a just God in heav- oo but sometimes the innercent must suffer to punish th’ guilty. This time "twas al- most my Ruth! An’ I tell you, young man, ef’n.any harm had ’a’ come to her, I’d ’a’ killed him like a dog! That’s what I’d ’a’ done—killed him like a dog!” The meaning of the sheriff’s words was vague, but somehow Bert glefhed their im- port. He saw in the man’s sudden rage a revolt against the rule of Turner, the shak- ing off of servile shackles, the proverbial turning of the lowly worm. He reached out and gripped the sheriff’s trembling arm. “Come on,” he said. ‘“ We’ve got to hurry if we don’t want that fiend to get away. Can’t you get some neighbor to come and stay with the girls?”’ “‘ Next door!” replied the sheriff, spurred to rare activity by his excitement; and dashed out into the night. | He returned about five minutes later, | accompanied by a short, plump, apple- cheeked man, who was still engaged in the act of dressing himself when he entered the hall, and who seemed to be in that dazed state that exists between wakefulness and sleep. “Mr. Biglow’s goin’ with us,” the sheriff told Bert. ‘‘ Mrs. Biglow ‘ll be over here soon’s she gits on some clothes.” Warren’s horse and buggy were at the door, and the three men drove quickly down to the city hall, whose great bell was soon rolling a lusty, reverberating summons over the slumbering village. There fol- lowed a period of chafing inactivity for the three men who took their stand on the steps of the building; then the street-lamps, sus- pended coldly above the crossings, warmed to life, sending down their misty cones of white light upon the hurrying vanguard of Selma’s wondering citizens. The word ‘“ Fire’? was on every one’s lips; but when they arrived at the recog- nized meeting-place Bert and Mr. Biglow and the sheriff relieved them of this fear, though full enlightenment was withheld un- til the place was aswarm with excited men and not a few women and children. GON GOOo G wo SS EC