The Argosy, Vol. 76, No. 3 — page 52: what you’re looking at

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

522 “ Half a mile, maybe.” “Just.a minute,” put in Bremer- ton. “ Who fired that shot from the. arroyo?” “Carramba! Some things I will not tell. That is one.” “It’s clear enough to me, anyhow.” “’Phe girl on the horse?” queried the sheriff. “ Basy, easy,” cautioned O’Hara. “Facts are what we _ want, not guesses.” He whirled on Chombo and flung the light full in his evil face. “Don't add a lie to the rest o’ your misdoings,”’ said he, “ but tell us who shot at Bremerton?” Cunning flashed in the shifty black eyes. “ Sefiorita Mallory.” “You spawn of the pit!” cried O’Hara. “TI throw it back in your teeth. You're too ready to tell when you swore you wouldn’t. The truth is not in you. If hed lie about one thing, Ransom, he’d lie about two, and I would not go a step with him ‘to find this amalgam.” “We'll give him a chance to make good,” answered the sheriff. “If he’s got any black scheme in his mind, he'll pay for it.” “Come with me, that’s all,” said Chombo surlily. “If you find [’m lyin’ you can make me pay.” “ He’s playing fair,” observed Bre- -merton. “ Let’s be going.” With O’Hara on one side of him and Ransom on the other, Chombo led the searchers into the arroyo. For several minutes they stumbled through the ‘darkness, then climbed a steep slope, traversed the length of a “ hog- ‘back,” plunged downward into black- ness again, and came finally into a small cafion. The walls were not high, and from somewhere ahead could be heard a drip, drip of water falling into a pool. | A turn in the guich brought them out on a flat covered with a sparse growth of oaks. They were now close to the dripping water, and a small house could be seen under the shadow of the trees. still. tered Ransom. THE ARGOSY. “Oak Flats,” remarked ‘Ransom, “T know the place. The only water this side the Mariquita. Which way, Chombo ? ”’ “The adobe barn back of the house,” said the prisoner, The small house was dark and Twenty yards away, backed up against the rugged gulch wall, stood the barn. <A corral, fenced with okatea stakes braided with wire, was close to the barn. As they passed the corral a horse whinnied. — ““ Must be some one at home,” com- mented Bremerton. “If so,” returned O’Hara, “ they’re in bed like honest folks. My word for it, this half-breed is muy malo. I'd not be trusting him under oath.” “Wait!” snarled the prisoner. He conducted them around the side of the adobe barn, then kicked his foot against the base of the wall. His foot struck wood, and there was a hollow, resonant sound. “Take away that board and look!” hissed Chombo. “ Then tell me I’m a liar.” | Bremerton dropped to his knees, and while the beam of light played over the base of the adobe wall he removed a square section of board. A cavity was revealed. He reached into it and fished up a bail of amalgam the size of his fist. “Tally one for the breed!” mut- “ You're right, Bre- merton; he’s playing fair. How much of the stuff is in the cache? ” With both hands Bremerton began scooping out the amalgam. The heap grew into a_ small mountain of frosted silver before he brought out the last ball and rose to his feet. “As I figure it,” said he, “ the Mariquita mill has been systematically robbed since the days of Griggsby. There’s not a tenth of the stealings in that pile.” “Figure some more,’ came _ the sneering voice of the _ half-blood. “Would all the amalgam be left in that hole under the wall, or would it COMicdoo S CO@