Adventure Magazine Cover, December 18, 1919 — page 39: what you’re looking at

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

Man to Man 25 “Put him back as foreman and I'll talk fair with you. I want Blenham back here, Stephen. Understand that?” And, ” cried Steve a trifle heatedly at - last, “I tell you that I am going to run the ranch myself, and that I don’t like Blenham.”’ = it!” cried the old man violently. “Hear the boy! Don’t like Blenham, huh? Goin’ to run the ranch yourself, huh? Why, I tell you it’s as good as mine right now! How are you goin’ to pay yourmen? Howare you goin’ to buy grub for ’em? Where are you goin’ to find runnin’ expense money? Go an’ tell folks you’re mortgaged to me for fifty thousan’ dollars an’ see how much they’ll stake you for on top of that. Or come over my way an’ try to borrow some more, if you think I’m an easy guy. Why, Steve Packard, you—you’re a fool!” “Thanks,” said Steve dryly. “I’ve heard that before.” “An’ you'll hear it again, by the Lord! in ten languages, if you’ll find men talkin’. that many lingos. Here I come chasin’ all this way to be decent to you, to see if there ain’t some way to help you out if “Help me out of my property,” amended Steve stiffly. “I can’t remember anything else you offered to do for me!” “I said it once!” shouted his grand- father, his two big fists suddenly clenched and lifted threateningly. ““You’re a howlin’ young ass! That’s what for a man you’ve turned out to be, Stephen Packard. . Come here empty-handed an’ try to buck me, would your? Me who has busted better men than you all my life, me who has got my hooks in you deep already, me who ain’t no pulin’ ol’ dodderin’ softy to turn over to a lazy, shif’less vagabond all I’ve piled up year after year. Buck me, would you? Tuck in an’ fire my men, butt in on» my affairs— Why, you impudent young puppy-dog, you: I’ll make you stick your tail between your legs an’ howl like a coyote before I’m done with you!” Steve looked at him hopelessly; he might have expected this. All along he had hoped for amity at least. If there were to be a conflict of purpose he could have wished that it be conducted in friendly fashion. But when did Hell-Fire Packard ever clasp hands with the man he opposed in anything? When did he ever see a business rival with- out cloven hoof, horns and spiked tail? “J am sorry you look at it that way, grandy. It is only natural that I should ~ seek to hold what is mine.” “Then hold: your tongue, you young fool!” blazed out the old man. ‘But don’t ask me to hold my hand! I’m goin’ after you tooth and big toe-nail! If Ranch Number Ten ain’t mine in all partic’lars be- fore you’re a year older I want to know why ee “aq think,” said the grandson, fighting with himself for calmness and quiet speech, “that any further business I can take up with your lawyer. Past due interest = “Lawyer?” thundered Packard senior. “Since when did I ever have call for law an’ lawyers in my play? Think I’m a crook, sir? Mean to insinuate I’m a crook?” “T mean nothing of the kind. A mort- gage is a legal matter, the payment of inter- est and principal “Guy Little!’ called the old man. Little! day?” The mechanician promptly appeared, hands and face greasy and black, and took his place on the running- -board. “All ready, sir,” he announced im- perturbably. = With half a dozen strides his master reached the car; in as many seconds the powerfulengine was throbbing. Thescream- ing horn gave warning; the quiet herds in the valley heeded, lifted their heads and ‘stood at attention, ready to scamper this way or that as need arose. The wheels turned, the car jolted over the inequalitiés presented by the field, swerved sharply, turned gathered speed and whizzed away, back toward the valley road. “Guy HREE -times before they shot back into the mouth of Blue Bird Cafion the mechanician fancied that his em- ployer had spoken; each time listening, Goin’ to stay under that car all - he failed to catch any other sound than- that made by the engine and speeding wheels. Once he said SE: and got only silence for an answer. He shook his head and Wondercii it was not Packard’s way to mumble to himself. And again, ready to jump for his life as the big car took a dangerous turn, his eyes glued to the sheer bank a few inches from the singing tires, he caught a sound through the blast of the horn which surely must have come from the driver’s lips. “What say?” yelled Guy Little. EOLPMIGL OOO iS