Adventure Magazine Cover, February 3, 1921 — page 89: what you’re looking at

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

The Road to El Dorado “Don’t know,” Benton sullenly replied. Durgin was more accommodating. He explained: “His game’s been closed ever since you quit us. He ain’t been around. I see his crazy Injun walk through the town last night, carrying a long forked stick. Guess Oakes has lit out and shook him.” “T seen th’ Injun on a sand-hill near sun- down last night,” called out a miner. ‘“Where’s Laramie Pete and young Natchez?” asked Reason. “Pete’s knocked out with that hole through his arm that he got while you was with him at Hell-on-Wheels,” said Dur- gin. “The night the girl was stolen young Natchez started for the Indian village to find her; and he run into a bunch of horse- men in the dark and went down with a knife in his side. “He met ’em in the hills just outside the village. Couldn’t see nothing. He yelled out his name and asked who they was; and they rode over him. And one of them leaned from the saddle and give him a dig that nearly let his life out.” “Half-Mask and his men,” Durgin rubbed his Bandy Benton insisted— “We've all been opinin’ it was a parcel o’ Injuns.” “Tt was Hali-Mask, * Joe tersely assured. “Tommy an’ me had @ runnin’ fight with him.” “He chased you?” “Where? When?’ ‘“‘Naw; we chased him,” ‘corrected Joe in an ugly voice. “Down Platte River Cafion way. He give us the slip, but first he bawled out to us "bout th’ gal bein’ stole. We come through flyin’, hopin’ it was a lie, told to git us to quit trailin’ him. Seems it’s true. Looks like ye fellers had been huntin’ for signs pretty hard.” “We've rid night ’n’ day, doin’ our dernedest,” sighed Bandy Benton. “She must ’a’ been carried off up beyond Clear Crick Cafion way.” Joe backed his pony from the crowd, and said: “Take it easy till I make a call on Lara- mie Pete. Half-Mask stole th’ gal. We’re goin’ after him. Chances are he’s ’fraid 0’ bein’ hard pushed an’ plans to hold Miss June as a hostage. If he gits in a corner we'd have to let him go to git her back.” “Tf we git him in a corner I suspect some said Reason. head dubiously. gasped Durgin. 83 one will fill him ful of holes,” gritted Dur- o1n. . “Gal’s safety care first,’ snarled Rea- son. “Let every man remember that. If ye didn’t have guts ’“nough to corner him till we come along, ye sartainly can hold off till we git th’ gal back.” “Ve talk like ye was red pepper,” Bandy Benton. ‘Tm worse’n that. said Reason. “T don’t ride in any gang that ye ride in,” passionately declared Benton. “Good for ye, Bandy!” cried the liquor- dealer. Reason was afoot almost as soon as the words were said. His broad shoulders sent two men reeling in opposite directions, and he leaned his chest against the bar and softly demanded— ‘“‘What’s them words, ye jug skunk?” The proprietor had one hand en a pis- tol on the shelf under the counter. Reason stood with his empty hands on the bar. The proprietor started to pull the pistol above the bar. Instantly two terrible hands had him by the throat and Reason was whispering— “Drop it!” The pistol fell to the ground. “Now what was them words ye said?” insisted Reason. “T was sayin’ it was time to have a drink on me, all hands,” choked out the proprietor. “Time to be goin’, Tommy,” called out California Joe, who had watched the situa- tion carefully with one hand on his hip. growled I’m rank pizen,” 368, REASON released the man and leaped on to his horse. As they gal- loped away for the wagens they beheld Parson Kitts running toward them from the creek. He was shouting unin- telligibly and. waving his hands for them to stop. They reined in and as he came up to them they saw that like his fellew towns- men he showed signs of hard travel. “Been hoping you two would come in,” he greeted. “Come over to my shack and have a war talk. Everything in this town is at sixes and sevens. We need some SsyS- tem to this business. Of course you’ve heard the news?”’ “Laramie Pete’s gal is gone,” laconically replied Reason. “Stolen by. Half-Mask or some of his mY) CORMICLOO© S (C@