Argosy All-Story Weekly, November 13, 1920 — page 46: what you’re looking at

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

24 to her straining animal. sought to pierce the darkness for a glimpse of the Texan. Her horse took a shallow ford in a foun- tain of spray. A patch of woods slipped be- hind, and she knew she was on the ‘trail that led to the Missouri, and the flat-boat ferry of Long Bill Kearney. She won- dered whether Tex would hold to the trail, or would he leave it and try to lose his pursuers among the maze of foothills and coulées through which it wound? Maybe he had turned into the patch of timber, and was even now breathing his horse in the little wild-flower glade. If so, her course was plain—to keep on at top speed and lead his pursuers as far as possible along the trail. Dimly she could hear the thunder of hoofs in her wake. She won- dered how long it would be before they would overtake her. On and on she sped, her thoughts racing wildly as the flying feet of her horse. ‘‘ What would Win think? What would the horse- men behind her say when at last they over- took her? Maybe they would arrest her!” The thought terrified her, and she urged her horse to a still greater burst of speed. Presently she became aware that the hoof- beats behind had almost died away, Faint- er and fainter they sounded—and then, far ahead, on top of a knoll silhouetted against - the star-dotted sky, she saw the figure of a horseman. Instantly it disappeared where the trail dipped into a coulée, and with a thrill of wild exhilaration she realized that her mount had run away from the pursuers, and not only that—he was actually closing up on the Texan, despite the boast of Ike Stork - that his animal could run rings around any others. = She topped the rise, and half-way across a wide swale caught another glimpse of the_ horseman. The man pulled up sharply. There were two horsemen! She had al- most come up to them when suddenly they crashed together. | She distinctly heard the sound of the im- pact. There was a short, sharp struggle, and, as the horses sprang apart, one of the saddles was empty, and a rider thudded heavily upon the ground. In vain her eyes ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. Then, faintly at first, but momentarily growing louder and more distinct, she heard the xuble of pursuing hoofs. She glanced swiftly over her shoulder, and when she re- turned her eyes to the front one of the riders was disappearing over the rim of the swale, and the other was struggling to his feet. For only an instant the girl hesitated, then plunged straight down the trail after the fleeing rider. As she passed the other a perfect torrent of vile curses poured from his lips, and with a shudder she recognized the voice of Long Bill Kearney. The interruption of the headlong flight had been short, but it had served to cut down their lead perceptibly. The sounds of pursuit were plainer even than at first, and, glancing over her shoulder as she reached the rim of the swale, she could see horsemen stringing down into the depres- sion. Topping the ridge, she was surprised to find the Texan only a short distance ahead. He was plying his quirt mercilessly, but the animal moved slowly, and she could see that He limped. Swiftly she closed up the dis- tance, and as she rode she became conscious of a low, hoarse rumbling—a_ peculiar sound, dull, all-pervading, terrifying. As she glanced ahead, beyond the figure of the rider, a cry escaped her. The whole world seemed to be a sea of wildly tossing water. The Missouri! But surely not the Mis- souri-as she remembered it—this wild, roar- ing flood! The river they had crossed a year ago on Long Bill’s flat boat had been a very commonplace stream, flowing smoothly between its banks. But this— As she caught up to the horseman, he whirled, gun in hand. “Tex!” she screamed. The gun-hand dropped, and the man stared at her in amazement. ‘“ What are you doing here?” ‘“T came—they had horses and were go- ing to kill you—I rode in between so they wouldn’t shoot.” ‘“‘ Good God, girl!” ‘“‘ Hurry!” she cried frantically. are close behind!” ‘‘ Horse went lame,” he jerked out as “ They S Eomichoo (EO) im