Adventure Magazine Cover, February 3, 1921 — page 100: what you’re looking at

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

94 “IT wouldn’t go near that place where Bandy was done for except in broad day- light; no, not for a million dollars.” “It’s growing light fast. Come on.” They investigated the patch of woods’ together but found nothing., At Joe’s sug- gestion they buried the murdered man, digging a grave with their bowile- knives. On a cottonwood-tree near the grave Cali- fornia Joe laboriously carved the date with his knife and added: BANDY BENTON KILLED BY A SKUNK, This done, they returned to the fire and aroused Mason and Durgin and, after an- nouncing that the victim had been de- cently interred, ate a hurried breakfast and discussed the day’s campaign. Joe in- sisted that the girl and two or three of the gang were somewhere near. He. advised his friends to be watchful against an ambush. “They know there was five of us. They know now there’s only four. Mebbe they opine one more killin’ will send t’others skeddadlin’ back to Cherry Crick.” “Shall we separate as I suggested last night, or go it all together?” asked Durgin. ‘“Dawg-gone! Keep together!’ urged Rogers. “Low I’ve got my nerve back. Let’s divide up,” said Mason. Joe pronounced in favor of separating. “Rogers will go with me,” he said. ‘We'll take Benton’s nag along for th’ gal toride. Ireckon we’ll find her within three miles o’ here, somewhere near th’ Injun’s medicine spring. “See that mountain with th’ scar on th’ side? Durgin, ye an’ Mason swing in a half-circle to th’ west, then swing back an’ meet us under th’ scar. We'll be within two miles o’ th’ cafion wall then, an’ within half a mile o’ th’ spring. “Tf ye don’t find me don’t go lookin’ for me. Jest sit down an’ take it easy an’ wait for me to find ye.” “Poor Bandy knew this country best of all of us,” said Durgin. ‘Once he trailed Lucky Denham as far as this, then lost him.” “T can take ye through as well as any- body,” declared Joe. “All ye two got to do is to keep that scar in sight till we come to a pine growth; then ye ride straight for it. Once ye strike timber an’ find ye can’t see th’ scar no longer, that’s when he should must ’a’ Adventure halt an’ wait for me. Most likely I'll be there waitin’ for ye.”’ With this understanding the two couples separated with Joe and Rogers taking the more direct course. Joe rode ahead, scan- ning the ground for signs of a fresh trail; but the nature of the soil made it a difficult task until they dipped down a slope and were almost in the shadow of the evergreen growth. ‘Then the trapper dismounted and threw himself on the ground. ‘Find something?’ whispered Rogers. “Three hosses passed here ’bout four days ago. ‘Two rode ahead side by side, with th’ oft hoss crowdin’ im Man on near hoss been leadin’ t’other. ‘T’other two come in Injun file.” “Then let’s light out for this spring ye’ve been talkin’ ’bout an’ let’s see if we can’t nd a fight,” urged Rogers. “I want my lay in th’ daytime. No more night work for me.” “Jest keep yer ha’r on for a minute. Hold th’ hosses while I look round for a sign 0’ Durgin an’ Mason.” Discarding his rifle, the trapper swarmed up the trunk of a pine until from his position he could examine portions of the back coun- try. Ridges of rock and occasional patches of timber broke up his view, and his only hope was to glimpse his companions in some one of the open spaces. He knew that their détour could not have carried them more than a mile or two west of his course and that they must have swung back into his trail did they follow his in- structions to keep the scar on the mountain- side in sight. He began with the farthermost ridge and swept his gaze up and down its rocky crest, then scrutinized a wedge of timber that ended at a stretch of ledge. . He discovered no signs of life and shifted his search to his more immediate neighborhood, where two growths of pine were separated by a narrow opening. As this was scarcely more than a Jane and as his elevation was not sufficient to per- mit his more than glimpsing the farther side of it, he was giving it a perfunctory exam- ination when his ear caught the faint explo- sion of a gun. The noise was so faint that Rogers, on the ground and shut in by the growth, failed to hear it. Joe tried to lo- cate the direction of the alarm, and even fancied he heard yells. Then into this nearest opening burst the ° COMMICOOOKS (C@