The Argosy, Vol. 90 No. 1 — page 85: what you’re looking at

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

LITTLE BOSS And Fan pulled and twisted in her effort to get away. Suddenly there was a glare of lightning. It seemed to rip the very roof from the room. Moore saw clearly. The bit of paper was on the rope of the swing. The next instant, it was pitchy black again. Blacker than ever, for the gloom seemed to pour in to fill the white spaces that the lightning had made. A clap of thunder, that sounded as if the world had burst asunder beneath them, hroke and boomed and bounced with terrific detona- tions. Fan’s face plunged helplessly into the shelter nearest—Moore’s breast. Instinctively, he held her close. But the location of the swing was clear in his mind. He started toward it. Above the chaotic revel of the elements, voices reached them. Moore felt Fan start. ‘It’s some of the boys. They must have heard the shots;” she whispered as Ben- bent close to hear. Louder than the dying detonations of a great peal of thunder, they heard the thump of feet on the steps and porch. ‘“‘Go to the door, please. I—here alone with you in the dark! Please!” Ben-felt more than he heard the embar- rassment and hurry of her words. Sudden- ly the stamping feet outside were still. “Hello there! Did Fan get home QO. K.?” It was certainly Fleming’s voice, high with anxiety, loud with demand. A shove from Fan energized Ben. started toward the door. “Tell them you saw me go to the cot- tage! ») Fan’s words penetrated the darkness in- cisively. Ben felt a glow of satisfaction. It gave him a small sense of intimacy; at least, they had one secret in common. He stumbled against the rocker of a chair that thrust like a horn. He swore un- der his breath. ‘“‘ Matches on the table by the door!” came to him from somewhere in the gloom of the room. He felt his way, guided by the noise of the men outside. He located the table and felt the matches. Then he lit one and He OF BIG BEN. 79 turned instantly toward the center of the room. Fan was gone. He looked toward the couch. So was the bit of paper. CHAPTER X. A STARTLING DECISION. LEMING saw the blaze before the wind flicked it out. ‘You boys there! We've got to make tracks to the Bonita! Git the glims! Fan started back from Petheroe’s two hours be- fore I got there!” Ben heard the boys leap down from the porch. He found a candlestick and lighted the candle. “Fleming! She’s all right!” he called, striding toward the door. Fleming, already back in his saddle and starting toward the corral for a fresh horse, drew rein. ‘“‘ Have you seen her?” he asked. ‘““’‘Yes; she came back before the storm broke,” Ben replied. He had glanced at the shattered lamp. He debated about telling Fleming of the evening’s occurrences. “Fleming, can you come in a while?” he asked finally. Fuzzy Pete. and Nick Skelton stood at the foot of the steps, looking up at him. Pete’s fair skin never got further toward being tanned than a glowing red. This contrasted ludicrously with his curly tow- colored head. But his expression dis- couraged any levity. “We heard pistol-shots over this way, Mr. Moore. You hear ’em?’’ he asked anxiously. ‘““T made ’em,” Moore replied. ‘“ A con- founded polecat was exercising around the block. I took a few shots. Thanks, fel- lows, for coming to look into it.” Moore swung an easy salute. men strode off into the night. clumped up the steps. as he saw the lamp. ‘““Polecat get in?” he observed lacon- ically. “Look here, Fleming, let’s find out who The two Fleming He stopped short oO Comicbooe S CO