Adventure Magazine Cover — page 56: what you’re looking at

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

46 You're liable to renig on this thing mebbe. You're liable to say vou was forced to sign. Well, you won’t. From now on you and me is pardners and twin brothers.” | Markum managed to straighten a little. “‘Wha—what?”’ “You heard me. go. I'll carry this here six-shooter. The first crooked move you make I[’ll blow your head off. I don’t care if you’re in the mid- dle of all the po-lice in San Francisco. I'll kill you first and then let ’em hang me. Git that? Yeh. “From now on it’s Markum and Dol- liver till you make good. Plaster it on your signs. Paint it on your door. Tell your neighbors. . I'll stick like a cockleburr.”’ ‘“‘That—that won’t be necessary.” “No? I'll be the jedge about that. Now you march down to them folks and say your little piece right out in public. Move! Pronto!”’ The dinner-call had sounded long before. The camp’s small population was finishing the meal at a long table in the big eating- tent. Helen and her mother occupied one end with Wentworth. Pete arrived wifh Markum. The old desert-rat’s voice arose in clarion tones. “Ladies and gents, Mr. Markum’s beer rasslin’ with his soul. He’s got somethin’ to say in public.” He turned to the promoter. “Speak up.” Wentworth turned curiously. The team- sters at the long table craned their necks. The Chinese cook loitered in the rear. Markum stared at the ground like a cul- prit. His task was hard, but Pete was harder. “T cheated Dolliver and Hall.” “What?” exclaimed Wentworth. “Go on,” snapped Pete. “T cheated Dolliver and Hall out of their mine. Dolliver brought me the proposi- tion and I accepted it. I promised him half the promotion stock or a quarter in- terest in the mine.”’ He looked at Pete for an instant, but Pete’s expression made him hasten on. “TI got Dolliver to borrow five hundred dollars from me. He signed a receipt. I doctored it. I made it apply for the whole mine. I—I guess that’s all.”’ ‘“fAll?”? gasped Helen. Wentworth looked from Markum to Pete and back again. Wherever you go gin | Adventure “Tf this is true, why do you confess it now?” The promoter jerked a finger toward Pete. Wentworth looked at Pete. “How?” he demanded sharply. ‘Well, Mr. Wentworth, the wicked don’t go to heaven, do they? Markum and me have been talkin’ religion. He seen that if he didn’t do the right thing he was liable to go to hell.”’ The corners of Wentworth’s mouth twitched. ‘Are you sure you have honored your pledge concerning Markum’s safety?” ‘‘Absolutely,’’ responded the virtuous Pete. ‘‘Every single last word of it.” Ten minutes later Markum had signed a document which confessed the theft of the mine and guaranteed restitution. The attitude of the others had changed toward him. “T guess that’s all,” said Wentworth quietly. “I’m sorry, Markum.” It meant an end to all relations between Markum and the financier forever. The promoter turned wearily and started up the hill. He still owned some of the mine, but not so much as he expected to. Helen gasped at a new discovery. She turned to Pete. “Then yeu end Tom are wealthy mine- owners.” Helen’s mother started to subdue her optimism, but Wentworth laughed. “Tf Hall and Dolliver have struggled along this far they can handle the rest of it. I’m glad they’re winning out. Perhaps I may be able to get Markum out of it entirely.”’ ‘‘Thanks,”’ said old Pete. He ached to tell the good news to Tom and relieve his mind of the awful burden of worry. He resolved to start out next day and tell Tom all about it. But next morning an excited rider gal- loped in on a sweaty horse, seeking water for empty canteens. The members of the colony gathered around him, shouting ques- tions. He dismounted and answered as fast as he could. “Yeh. We’ve got Finley cornered. Caught him and four fellers near the ranch. Give up? Nary a one! Drove ’em into the ranch-house. “Fight? Sure. All last night. Yeh, they’re still at it.” ‘“‘How’s Tom?” questioned Pete. COnnicloooks.Conn