Adventure Magazine Cover, February 3, 1921 — page 85: what you’re looking at

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

The Road to El Dorado by a broad shelf of bare ledge. This was heaped with beads and red cloths, knives and steel-tipped arrows. Hanging from the trees were moccasins and deerskins. Some of the moccasins were new and some were stamped by the lapse of many years. In the spring itself were brass ornaments and a number of round objects the size of a man’s fist. Joe examined the deerskins, and whisp- ered: “Utes left these here. offerin’s.” “Them’s Comanche moccasins,’ mut- tered Reason, nodding toward a_ pair. “Reckon they never fight when they meet here.” 3 Joe examined the ground in front of the spring and answered: “No, they won’t fight here. ’*Rapahoes ‘low this is their partic’lar ground an’ they’ve danced a war-dance here more’n once. But they wouldn’t make any war- path round this place. They wouldn’t dare to try to stop other Injuns from leavin’ presents here for their gods, for then they’d be ’fraid their gods would git mad an’ quit ’em.”’ . “That’s hoss sense,” quickly agreed Reason. ‘Say ye wanted to give. my snake a feast an’ I should stop ye. Reckon th’ snake would have a mighty poor notion of me.” : ““S’pose mindedly. casins is weather tight an’ will fit me I’d like to borrer a pair - “No, no!’ hurriedly cried Reason. “No good will come o’ robbin’ th’ spring of its medicine presents. Yer feet might all wither up.” ; : “There wa’n’t no kick made ‘bout my borrerin’ th’ beaver packs,” returned Joe. But Reason was so deadly in earnest that his friend promised to disturb none of the foot-gear, and with his mind at ease Reason began casting about for some sign of the outlaw. While he worked down the stretch of grass Joe took the opposite di- rection, and it was the latter who made a discovery of prime importance. He had examined the ground for several hundred feet beyond the spring and had worked through the scrub several rods to a small glade. His low cry brought Reason to his side on the jump. At one edge of the glade, pitched under Deerskin peace so,” murmured Joe absent- “Now if any o’ them moc-. 79 the boughs of a pine, was a wall-tent. It was weather-stained and showed much usage. The mystery surrounding it was heightened by the fact that the side was down, thus concealing the interior. Here were great dramatic possibilities in small compass. Both tragedy and treas- ure might be behind the soiled canvas. It was the style of tent often used by surveying-parties seeking railroad routes to the Pacific. Joe had seen many such in northern California and in the Oregon country. Set back under the pine, with other trees crowding close, it was not to be easily discovered unless some one ‘stumbled upon it by accident. Both men drew their weapons and began closing in. The silence of the glade was oppressive. ‘There was something very sinister in the tightly drawn side. It suggested a grim secretiveness. The trappers separated to approach from opposite directions. Reason arrived first, extended his hand to tear aside the canvas, then hesitated and waited until Joe attained a similar position. Then with an exchange of glances they simultan- eously seized the canvas, threw it up and with their free hands thrust their revolvers inside. The tent was empty, yet the anticlimax was almost as unnerving as if they had found some tangible piece of gruesome work. The absence of the owner only prolonged the mystery. On a couch of boughs was a roll of blank- ets. The trappers examined the boughs and agreed that they had been cut and placed there within two weeks. In one end were heaped a small stock of bacon, a bag of beans, flour for flap- jacks, a irying-pan and a pot filled with coffee beans. All in all it was a prosaic and homely exhibit, and yet it left the story unfinished. It was a white man’s outfit; but why should a-white man camp there? Joe remarked on. the absence of any weapons, even of powder and bail; but he did unearth from beneath the provisions a jug containing a small amount of Taos lightning. “Queer deal,” whispered Reason. cuss didn’t even have a spare gun.” Joe stared thoughtfully at the frying- pan and coffee-pot and murmured: “Wrong trail. This ain’t Half-Mask’s layout.” ae 3, CORMICLOO© (C@