The Argosy, Vol. 76, No. 3 — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

486 “T am afraid you must stop now,” said she. ‘‘ Only five minutes, Dr. Pres- ton said, Mr. Lacey.” “Just one thing more, Bremerton,” the sick man continued. “I had to leave King, the cyanid expert, in charge. He is a capital cyanid expert, but a poor hand with men. The quick- er you reach the mine the better.” He lifted and held out his hand. “Remember what I have told you about Mariquita Mallory. Good-by and good luck.” Bremerton clasped the hand cordial- ly and gratefully and left the ward. Once clear of the hospital building he looked up at the round moon in the blue velvet sky, hesitated a second, then laid a course that carried him di- rectly away from the hotel. He was not a stranger in that town. Two years before he had outfitted there for a prospecting trip into the Harqua Halas. Now he wanted to get away by himself and think. His word had been given to Deane, and he had taken Deane’s money. For better or for worse, he had plunged into this undertaking at the Mariquita Mine. The key-note of his character was loyalty, and nothing could shake his determination to give to Deane’s in- terests the best that was in him. La- cey’s words, however, had plunged him into a train of reflection none too pleasant. His aimless feet brought him pres- ently to the town ditch, where the waters rippled musically and the moon- light’ silvered the cottonwoods, and where from the soft recesses of the night came the notes of a whippoor- will. Out of the dim past his memory con- structed a similar scene. He had gone into camp at.a water-hole; there were cottonwoods like those whose white trunks now rose around him, and then, as now, a whippoorwill sang in the dis- tance. But on that night, as he recalled, he had been awakened by the cracking of THE ARGOSY. a twig, and had fought in the moon- light with a roving Mexican who had tried to steal his burro and his grub- pack. Suddenly he paused, straightened erect, and listened. As by the water- hole so long ago, here by the Phoenix town ditch he heard a stealthy footfall behind him. Instinctively his hands clenched, and he braced himself for an encounter. Another moment and the mood passed. With a low laugh he leaned against the trunk of a tree. “Well, friend,” he called, “are you following me, or does it just happen that you are on my trail?” The dark figure which his eyes had glimpsed came out of the shadow and into a splotch of moonlight. A large man in a broad-brimmed hat stood out against the dusky background clear as a silver print. The head was shaggy with hair and beard, and in the dark of the hat-brim two eyes glowed like points of flame. “My name’s Mallory,” said a husky voice, “and I’ve been following you ever since you struck town. Mr. Brem- erton, ain’t it?” So this was Mallory, appearing as Lacey had foretold, only somewhat before the time Bremerton had expect- ed him. “Yes, this is Bremerton. I’d like to inquire, Mallory, why you have fa- vored me with your attention? ” “We'll get to that,” was the answer as the speaker drew closer. ‘“ You’ve just been to the hospital. Picked out a comfortable place there against the time you’re ready for it?” “ Did Griggsby pick out a place? If he did, what good did it do him? He never lived to get to the hospital, did he?” “T don’t know about Griggsby, and I don’t know who put Lacey where he is. All I do know is that Deane will never get any good out of the Mari- quita Mine, and those who try to help him will never get no good out of it, either. Deane is a cutthroat, a pirate, a black-hearted swine who—”’ COMicdoo S CO@