Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 124, No. 2 — page 92: what you’re looking at

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

274 tuff bunch in here and he says it’s up to you to git ’em out again, and do it quick. “ Say, I wouldn’t prezactly admire to be standin’ in your boots, Zach,” said Cabby, coolly shrugging from his shoulders any share of the responsibility. ' As if to further emphasize Cabby’s re- cital, the roarings of caged beasts and the shrill trumpetings of elephants were wafted into the open door of the bunk-house. ’ Zach tumbled hurriedly into his clothes, reached for his sombrero and yanked it tightly down to his eyebrows. ‘The bess wanats to see you—you’re in fer a red-hot brandin’, all right, Zach,” said Cabby. Zach hesitated at the door, loosened. his hat and calmly proceeded to cock it at a devil-may-care angle. “Keep your shirt on, Cabby. I'll see the boss and I ain’t the one to be a squealin’ on any of you guys at all—git me. Just you slide out from under and go plumb to—all of you!”’ Zach strode out the bunk- house, his lips puckered for a whistle which made no sound as he headed for the ranch- house. His interview with Mr. Benson, owner of Crumpled Creek Rancho, was brief and to the point. “Zach, I understand that you are re- sponsible for landing this circus here,”’ said Benson with no preliminaries. “Tm the guy,” replied Zach tersely. “You boys are carrying things too damned far. Since you.had brains enough to get that riffraff here, it’s up to you to get them out. They’ve got to move off my ranch at once, understand?”’ “ ¥es, sir,” replied Zach, turning quickly on his heel. He went to the barn and sad- died his cow-pony. None of his comrades were in sight, and Zach experienced a feel- ing of being deserted as he touched spurs to his pony and cantered down the lane and across the fields to the pasture bordering the highway. He encountered a heterogeneous aggre- gation—some dejected, some threatening, others displaying a careless unconcern. The circus folk: recognized Zach as the prime cause of this muddled predicament. His reception differed from the spectacular adu- ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. lation which had been his on the evening before. | Zach sat his horse in a pose which spelled nothing to those who hurled ques- tions, taunts, threats, and supplications at him. All in all, the situation was enough to stump a much more clever man than Zach Marsden. He spurred on his horse, jerking his head at those blocking his progress. | He noted the circus horses tied beneath the shelter tents with only a scant supply of hay. Zach had more thought for the ani- mals than the human element. There oc- curred to him-a phrase of Mr. Benson’s caustic remark: “Since you had brains enough—”’ Zach wheeled about. : ‘“ Hi, you fellers!” he shouted to the roustabouts. “ They’s a place down the road a spell in the timber- where they’s plenty of feed for the critters. You potta move off’n Benson’s land at once. Who’s the main guy here?”’ A brawny specimen stepped forward. Zach consulted with him. An uncompli- mentary exchange of words ensued, ending in Zach’s sliding from his pony and con- fronting the man. “ You’ll do what I say and no four-flush- in’! Sure, I ain’t denyin’ I herded you over the hill. but I ain’t to blame for old Crane’s vamoosin’ with the coin. If you want my help you'll do as I say—git me?” The specimen begrudgingly obeyed. And all the time the tents were being struck and the higera beginning, Zach cudgelled the “brain ” which Bensie admitted that he possessed. As the day dragged on, rumors of Zach’ s fiasco were heralded far and wide. The Smoke Lake cowboys rode over to investi- gate. Their lusty whoops of derision were louder than the roarings of the lions. Zach was jeered at, joshed and hounded till he was driven to despondency. Then, when the name of Miss Mirabelle was coupled with the circus gossip, when ribald jests were launched regarding “‘ Miss Mira- belle’s Circus,’’ Zach’s hand rested continu- ally on his revolver. It was enough that he should tolerate the jibes which he deserved, S (SO Yow ECORAICOO® aq — ie