Adventure, December 3, 1920 — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

10 he looked into the big mirror behind the bar and there glimpsed the features of a man who was standing beside him, also drinking and speaking. “V’ve had a tough ride, Jerry—” this ap- parently to the bartender—“an’ I want a couple of right smart bracers afore I get me a cup 0’ caffy.” Lang finished his drink in a welcome glow of excitement. He had recognized the man beside him as one of Hemp’s companions of the night before; very likely this was the rider he had seen coming into town on the spent horse. The man was talking now to another who had joined hima large, rather florid individual who wore the dress of the larger towns, with a huge gold watch-chain across a broad expanse of vest. The pair took several drinks, which did not appear to improve the temper of the large man. Lang watched them casually while he dallied with more libation. He could not overhear what was being said for the men were talking in an undertone. They paid no attention to him until the smaller man, whom Lang had seen with Hemp, 4&tepped back apparently amused at some re- mark of the other’s and included all within the room in a sweeping invitation to “irrigate.” Then he recognized Lang. “Say, young feller,” he said abruptly, “‘you made a mistake last night.” “V_e-s?”? drawled Lang. ‘Well, if I did, it isn’t the first one I’ve made.” “No, but it’s liable to prove the worst one,” said the other with a sinister scowl. “Where’d you get your imformation?” queried Lang. “Yo’re a fool to make light of it. Hemp’s a go-getter an’ he’ll get you for rilin’ him, mark what I’m a’sayin’—he’s bad.” “Did he send you to hunt me up and throw a scare into me?” sneered Lang. “He ain’t sent me to look nobody up—least not you. I’m a-tellin’ you for yore own good.” 2 “And you tell your chief I’ll be awaitin’ for him any time he wants to make good his threat,” exclaimed Lang angrily. “Tt ain’t no threat; it’s a promise.”’ “Say, friend, you’re getting a bit thick, aren’t you? Coming to me with a threat from an outlaw! Seems to be that you’re not travel- ling with the kind of a bunch that would find it exactly safe to be standing up to a bar in town spilling warnings of gun-play.”’ “You don’t know who I’m travelin’ with and it’s none of yore business,”’ roared the other. “Hemp made it my business when he butted in on me with his outlaw proposition last night, an’ you know it for you were with him,” an= swered Lang in cold, crisp tones. who edged along Adventure BOTH men had stepped back from the bar with their right hands tense at their sides, fingers partly crooked. “T believe at that that Hemp sent you south to head me off and try to throw a scare into me or maybe worse,”’ continued Lang. “I’m on to Hemp’s game, an’ it hadn’t ought to make him feel any too safe.” ‘“‘Who is this fellow?” blurted the big man, the bar and confronted Lang. ‘“‘He’s a quitter,” snarled the smaller man, who was in a rage. “You lie, an’ you know it!” shot Lang in a clear voice. ‘“‘There’s only one answer to that,” said the small man. “Tt’s up to you,” replied Lang. The others in the place had backed away and now crowded against the wall opposite the bar. The face of the big man had paled. “To get right down to cases, this ain’t our quarrel,’ said the man facing Lang. “T see,’”’ sneered Lang, his right hand relaxing. “You’re one of the pair Hemp kicked out. What was the trouble? Yellow?” With a howl of inarticulate rage the small man dropped to the left, falling almost to the - floor, where he rested on his left hand as his right shot. under his coat for his gun. But Lang was acquainted with this trick and in the instant that it all happened his weapon spurted flame and the man crouching on the floor toppled over upon his back. Lang whirled toward the door with his gun sweeping in a semicircle. “My !”? exclaimed the big man, lunging from the bar with bulging eyes and reaching to his hip. There was a glint of metal as he withdrew his hand and again Lang’s gun shattered the silence. The big man paused with a silly look of perplexity upon his features and crumpled to the floor. The sound of his falling body was accompanied by latter of metal as the fingers of his right hand relaxed. Silence. Then from Lang’s lips came a-cry of horror’ as he stared at the object on the floor. But in another moment he had backed out of the door and was running for his horse. He noted for an instant the figure of a mount- ed man in the street before the saloon. Then he leaped into the saddle, and, spurring his horse in a frenzy, sped for the open country. Burt Condon dismounted hurriedly, glanced within the saloon, regained his horse and started in the direction taken by Lang. Two miles out of town Condon was overtaken by a posse of three men; one—the leader—wore a silver star on his shirt. “Did you see a slim, good-lookin’ sort of chap ridin’ a bay beatin’ it outa town?” demanded the deputy. (EO) 0)(0)(6) (C@