Adventure Magazine Cover, February 3, 1921 — page 145: what you’re looking at

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

The Heart of the Range knowed so much.about that knife? An’ did you ask him if he was the gent left that paper in Jake’s office? An’ goin’ on from that, did you ask him why he didn’t come out flatfooted at first an’ say what he thought he knowed instead 0’ waitin’ till after you’d searched my room? You don’t have to answer, Kansas, only if I was you I’d think it over; I’d think it over plenty. So long.” From the house of Casey he went ‘to the shack of Marie. He found the girl cooking her dinner quite as if attempts at murder, dead men and jail-burning were matters of small moment. But if her manner was pla- cid, her eyes were not. They were bright _and ‘hard, and they flickered stormily upon him when she lifted her gaze from the pan of frying potatoes.and saw who it was standing in the doorway. “T’m obliged to yuh,” she said calmly, “for payin’ my fine. You run away-so quick this mornin’ you didn’t gimme no chance to thank yuh. TU pay yuh back soon’s I get paid come Saturday.” Racey stared reproachfully. He shifted his weight from one uncomfortable foot to the other. “J didn’t come here about the fine,’ he told her. “I—” He stopped, uncertain whether to continue or not. “Tf you didn’t come about the fine it must be somethin’ else important,” said she in- sultingly. spose. So far it’s always been me that’s had to make all the moves.” “Moves,” repeated Racey, frankly puzzled. “Moves,” she mimicked. ‘Didn’t you never play checkers? Oh; ne’ mine, ne’ mine. Don’t take it to heart. I don’t mean nothin’. Never did. C’mon in an’ set. Take a chair. That one— What do you want? ‘Down, feller, down!” The command was called forth by the vio- lent entry of the yellow dog which, remem- bering Racey as a friend, flung itself upon him with whines and tail-waggings. _ “Fe’s all right,” said Racey, rubbing the rough head. “I just thought I’d ask yuh what yuh knowed about Jack Harpe.” Marie’s narrowed eyes turned dark with suspicion. “Whadda you know aboitt me an’ Jack Harpe?” she demanded. “Not as much as I’d like to know,” was his frank reply. “T ain’t talkin’.”” Shortly. “T shore oughta be set up, I. 139 “Now leokit here—” he began wheed- lingly. She shook her ‘head at him: “Sno use. I don’t tell everythin’ I know.’ “Then you do :know somethin’ about Jack Harpe.” “T didn’t say I.did.” “You didn’t, But——” + “That’s what the goat done to the stone wall. Look out you den’t bust yore horns too.”’ ‘““Meanin’?”’ “Meanin’ you'll knock ’em off short before you get anythin’ out 0’ me I don’t wanna tell you. An’ I tell yuh flat I ain’t talkin’ ovet Jack Harpe with you.” “Scared to?” he hazarded boldly. “You can give it any name yuh like. Pull up 4 chair. Dinner’s most ready. They’s enough for two.” Despite the fact ‘that he had just dined at the hotel he accepted ther invitation in the hope that she could ibe persuaded to talk, and after dinner he smoked several cigarets with her—still hoping. Finally, findmg that nothing he could say was of any avail to move her, he took up his hat and-de- parted. “Don’t go away mad,’ she called after “T ain't,” he denied, and went on, ‘her. mocking laughter ringing“in ‘his ears. After Racey was gone out of sight Marie turned back mto her little house. There was no laughter.on her lips or in her eyes:as she sat down in.a chair ‘beside the table and stared across it at the chair in which Racey had been sitting. ‘“He’s a nice boy,’ her breath, after a time. wish——” But what it was she wished it is impossi- ble to relate for, instead of completing the sentence, she hid her face in her hands and began to cry. Early next morning Racey Dawson and Swing Tunstall rode out of town by the Marysville trail. They were bound for the Bar S and a job. By Racey?” demanded Mr. Saltoun, MM winking at his son-in-law and fore- man, Tom Loudon. The latter. did not return the wink. He kept a sober gaze fastened on Racey Dawson. * she whispered under “WHAT have you been drinkin’, COmcoaoo “I wish—I — S Col