Adventure Magazine Cover — page 144: what you’re looking at

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

voices, far, far away, and some one laughed. The laugh grated upon my nerves; it was as if some one had laughed aloud at a funeral. “The — barrel through and bent bad,” stated a voice. ‘“‘Wonder it didn’t blow his fool head off was dented two-thirds instead of kicking out of him.” Then Isat up and looked around. I was propped against a rock. Around my chest and over my arms is a tightly pulled rope, and the other end of the rope is fastened to the front end of a saddle on a horse. Two men are standing near me, examining the remains of my shotgun. Middleton is sitting near me, his hands and feet roped, and as I looked at him he vulgarly spat out through where a tooth had been, and winked at me. The two turned, and I saw upon the bosom of the taller one the badge of a police officer. “T didn’t think that Olaf had brains enough to go crazy,” said the other. “Got to have some brains to start on, I reckon.”’ “Never can tell,’ nodded the tall one. “They caught him trying to put dynamite in the stove. He said he was going to blow up the law. Funny thing about it; somebody had filled his pants with bird- shot.” Just then we were interrupted by the coming of Ike and Dirty Shirt, leading the runaway horses. They stared at the strangers. “Holy henhawks!” exclaimed Dirty. “They’ve roped our shepherds!” . “Uh-huh,” nodded the tall one. might say a few words, Dirty.” “Hello, Adams,’’ nodded Dirty to the other one. “Meet Professors Pettingill and Middleton. Gents, this person is Alcohol Adams. The tall one is Magpie Simpkins, the sheriff of Yaller Rock County. He’s just as bad as he looks. Magpie, what you got ropes on them pelicans for? They ain’t done nothing.” “Well, talk a little, can’t you?” asked the Magpie person. “Well—” Dirty Shirt rolled a smoke— “we tried our dangedest to fulfil our dep- utization, Magpie. These scientific peli- “Vou cans pilgrim along, and we take ’em in. Sabe? They wants to know from personal experience whether it’s sheep or just gen- eral wear and tear that puts a shepherd into that mental condition known as Crazy. — “They ve td a hard din, =e “They sure have herded in the interests of” science, -We’ve all had a hard time, Magpie, and I’m off sheep forever. If ’ Scenery Sims and Alphabetical Allen wants them sheep rounded up, they’ll have to do it them- selves. Sabe? Law or no law, we're all done.” . ce S or” The sheriff scratched his long nose, and began a silent laugh that shook his gaunt frame. “Haw! Haw! Haw! You poor, locoed. snake-hunters! Listen: I didn’t no more than get started for Piperock when I meets Scenery and Alphy. ‘They’ve done patched up their differences. We went over to notify you, but you never showed up. I’ve been looking for you.” “Haw!” replied Dirty Shirt vacantly. — “You—uh— Say, who in —— owns the sheep we’ve been dry-nursing, Magpie?” “I do,” said Mr. Adams. “I had a Swede out here, but he went loco, I reckon, and tried to dynamite Scenery’s camp, and IKE stepped over and took the ropes off Middleton and myself. | “IT met the driver of my grub- wagon,” said Mr. Adams. “He had been ~ drinking too much lately, I reckon. Said’ he was held up by twin devils, and that — from now on he’s through with booze or sheep.” We went down the hill, where Middleton and I recovered our coats. Dirty Shirt and Ike caught our mules and put on the packs. Then they gave us each a rope to lead with. “The road over there will take you to Silver Bend,” explained Ike. We thanked him heartily, and then shook hands with them all. “T hope you gents got the information you desired,” said Magpie. “Nothing like personal experience.” “VYeth, we got it,” lisped Middleton. “We tholved it.” “T hope you didn’t jump at it sudden- like,” grinned Magpie. “No, thir. Not thudden.” “T reckon it’s a mistake to say that all shepherds are crazy,” observed Magpie. “‘Cow-men use that expression more be- cause they hate sheep than because the ‘shepherd is cee They = that any oe te = aE . a . « P ‘ qn PS - 3 —#. “* Lee se ~ com | Sa ae — CS ge ox ane a Soe