Adventure Magazine Cover, December 18, 1919 — page 183: what you’re looking at

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

Number Ten Boots a valuable horse, taken severe punish- ment, even narrowly risked his own life, to save him—him, a little, mean, worth- less crook. When he awoke, day had ==, He could hear the quarreling of jays, the chattering of cat-squirrels, the melody of a mockingbird. He saw that the lamp on the dresser was still lighted and then he saw that Rancher Tom dozed in - a chair beside him. Connie — resisted » temptation for about the first time in his life and did not wake Alden to ask him for a cigaret. For half an-hour, Switser watched the ranchman closely and thought and thought, over and over again, of the vast difference between them and of that which the ranchman had done to save his miserable life. Then Tom Alden stirred, yawned, sat up ‘stiffly in his chair and looked toward the slender figure in bed. “Good mornin’, son,” he said cheerily. “How you feelin’? Black Isham’s goin’ to give us some pancakes and real ‘ham- and’ for breakfast. Reckon you can eat some?” Connie actually grinned. “Man, whisper it sweet and low! Eat some? I ain’t had a square in a year, honest. I’m feelin’ pretty good—all but (’m sore across my shoulders. Say, I thought that Ketcham feller was settin’ up with me, and it’s you,” “T couldn’t sleep,’ was Alden’s ex- planation. Connie’s face became sober again. “How come it, Rancher,” he asked pear ‘you done what you done for Se Agy man owes a debt like that to humanity.” Alden smiled a little. “Judgin’ by the smells that’s comin’ from the kitchen, you'd better get up if you feel like it; if you don’t, I'll bring your breakfast to you.” Connie Switser rose. An hour later Switser walked weakly out toward the barns and bunk-houses and came upon the ranchman giving orders to Bud Ketcham and another cow- man, both of whom were mounted. Ketcham glared wickedly at Switser and Switser deliberately made a face at Ketcham. Alden finished his talk and turned to Connie. The cowmen whirled away. : 169 “Solong, Number Ten Boots!” taunted Connie. Ketcham ‘pretended that he ° didn’t hear. Alden’s brows puckered. “What’s the big idee, son?’ asked Alden. “He wears number ten boots,’ Connie said with about a fourth of a smile. “You found the tracks o’ that sort o’ boots every time~ you lost cattle, you said.” “Think it was Bud, eh?” “Oh, no, I ain’t thinkin’ at all. Af the same, that big soak wears num-. ber ten boots! Say, Rancher, does Ketcham know: you found them big footprints when your cattle turned up missin’ ?” “No! Except for tellin’ Bill Maddon, lve kept it to myself,’ answered Rancher Tom. He shook his head and went on: “It wasn’t Bud, son. He’s been with me for three years and he’s a good man. I sure couldn’t suspicion him. There’s more men than just Bud that wears number ten boots in this country, son. was him?” “T’ve seen lots @ crooks, Rancher,” Connie muttered. ‘“There’s somethin’ about ’em you get to know when you see it. When I first laid eyes on Bud, I says to myself, I says: ‘There’s a feller who's so crooked he cain’t lay still in his sleep,’ I says. I couldn’t never tell you why, but that’s the way I felt about it. Anyhow, you watch him!~ You sure got to ketch the thief in thirty days, Rancher, or lose a lot!” “Lose a lot!” echoed Alden. “I'd ane You keep quiet about it, son, hear _ me: 9 Connie smiled. “Ouiet! Rancher, I’m a_tombstone.”’ ‘ What made you think it AYS and days passed, and more and more cattle disappeared. There was no trace of their going save for a few big, dim footprints in the sand. Had they been snatched up at night by some monster ship of the air, it could hardly ~ have been more mystifying. e« Tom Alden watched by day and he watched by night and he rode the country over in the at- tempt to find which way his cattle had gone, all to no avail. Connie Switser, too, did a great deal of watching and EGomichboo S Ae et ed ee ee ee Re ee, ee le Se ee al