Arizona Round-Up — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

24 WILLIAM HOPSON from a decanter on the table when a knock came; a knock as gentle as that of a timid child. She went to the door and opened it. Tex stood there with his hat in one hand. “Good evening,” he greeted her gently. “I believe youre Miss Owens.” “I am,” she smiled. “And youre Tex Burnett. I think that I passed you an hour or so ago while I was over—ah, out for a brief stroll. Won’t you come in, Mr. Burnett?” | He came in and handed his hat to Bessie, Lily's maid. He nodded to the other man and said, “Deacon,” in brief greeting. He took the indicated chair. She went to the table and poured him a small goblet of wine from the decanter. “Thank you,” he murmured, She watched as he lifted the glass. The Deacon had been tak- ing his in big swallows. Burnett shook the glass gently until the golden liquid inside sloshed up. He watched as it ran down again and then tasted it. He looked at the glass again and then at her. “Chablis. Not domestic at all. I'd say imported. South France.” “Welll” she exclaimed. “This is quite a surprise, Mr. Burnett. Or, if you don't mind, I'll call you Tex. I hardly expected a gam- bler of your—oh, I’m sorry. I meant I hardly expected to find a man in the Gulch who would know about such things. Yes, it was imported from France to New York and then found its way west. But tell me, how do you like Mule Gulch?” “The Deacon,” he smiled, “would probably say that a man of our calling has seen many such places in the West. It’s just an- other boom town. A strike that may blow under in a few weeks or last for years.” “Are you staying long?” | “That’s a difficult question, Miss Owens,” he smiled, sipping again. “There's the possibility that certain people might not like my presence here. I'm referring to a certain Bud Bailey, I believe his name is, as well as your stepbrother. Yes,” he added at her look of surprise, “he told me. I assure you that your secret is safe.” “Evergreen talks too much,’ cut in the Deacon with a grunt, and put down his empty glass. “I suppose it’s bound to come out sooner or later anyhow,” she comicbooks.com