Argosy, Vol. 1 (1882) — page 17: what you’re looking at

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

I saw my blunder and attempted to modify it, but it was too late. Tom Auckland’s distrust had intensified Our horses struggled along for a few rods side by side, and he remained s1- lent for several minutes after I ceased speaking. Then, ignoring the fact that I had given him my name, he said: “Stranger, do you know what I think of what you just told me?” 64 No.”’ “It’s a damned hie! ”’ Inasniuch as this assertion was truth, I smiled to myself and said airily: ‘It doesn’t make any difference what you think; I’m sure your land 1s not the only property about here that con- tains coal and perhaps iron; I'll let you alone and look elsewhere.” This threat did not worry him nor remove his distrust. He made no re- ply, but an unpleasant fact quickly made itself apparent. Tom Auckland was trying to drop to the rear. There could be no doubt of his purpose. He was secking a chance to get the drop on me and shoot me unawares. I defeated his attempts for a time by the deft handling of my pony. While holding the rein with my left hand and using my knees to keep a firm seat, | kept my hand on my re- volver. The presumption was that Auckland had a similar weapon some- where about him, though I did not see it. He was depending upon his Win- chester, and without a doubt he was a dead shot. Finally he deliberately pulled his horse, and waited for me to ride in ad- vance. Instantly I did the same, swerv- ing Jack slightly so that the mountain- eer and I faced each other without turn- ing in our saddles. Like a flash I whipped out and leveled my revolver. “You can’t play it on me, Tom Auckland! Ride right alongside like a man, and the next time you try the sneak game, [fl let daylight through you quicker than chain lightning! I’ve seen what you were up to, and it has THE ARGOSY. been in my mind more than once to shoot. You hear me?” CHAPTER III. A CAPTURE. STARTLING as was the turn of affairs to Tom Auckland, it was instantly suc- ceeded by a still more startling situa- tion. Jack, my pony, who had given me opportune notice of the approach of the mountaineer, again threw his pretty ears forward and emitted a faint neigh, which as before was answered similarly, but this time from the front. Auckland jammed his spurs into his horse's flanks, and the beast with one bound placed himself at my side and slightly in advance, thus throwing me a single pace to the rear. At the same moment two horsemen came in sight around the bend in the road, hardly a hundred yards distant. Quickly reining up their animals, they loomed tall and large in their slouch hats and mounted on their huge, bony horses. “‘They’re Zach Peters and Dick Warman,” said my companion; “ they b’long to the Howard gang.” “Then they are friends,” I replied, recalling one of his speeches. “ Not a bit of it,’’ he said with an oath; “look out! they’re going to shoot!” My companion brought his Win- chester to his shoulder with lightning- like quickness and seemed to fire at the same instant, but no quicker than the two who had halted on the rise above us. The three reports rang out simul- taneously and frightful execution was done. Tom Auckland’s horse made a fren- zied plunge forward, and with a cry of agony rolled over on his side. The rider leaped clear, and I knew by his ‘ex- clamation he had been hit. That I myself had served as a target was proven by the zip ct Livle vey eco