Adventure Magazine Cover — page 90: what you’re looking at

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

80 my salute must have contained something beyond the conventional, for I felt her squirm in an attempt to escape. “Now it must be goodaby,” I said, my heart most doleful. She drew back a few paces, the color still rioting through her cheeks till they put the scarlet of his Majesty to shame. “Yes, Cousin James, it’s high time to say good-by,” she panted. With that she leaped into the under- _ growth and I had nothing to deter me from starting for Charleston. CHAPTER V CAPTAIN GANNER AT HOME MAID’S kiss will stir the blood more than all the ardent spirits in the world. After she left me I must have been dazed, otherwise I can not account for my wits becoming muddled until I did not know where I was. In a general way I knew I must bear southeast, but I had little idea of the length of time I had been riding through the woods and clearings, over lonely roads and by ruined cabins. Nor could I estimate how fast I had traveled. It was as if I had gone to sleep after she quit me and was just awaking. The hiatus was considerable, however, as the sun was very low. Of but one thing was I positive; I was ravenously hungry. Fully aroused, I applied myself to locating a road which would take me to the upper waters of Black River near Kingstree. Not too close to Kingstree, however, for I ‘must have time to compose my mind before meeting any more of his Majesty’s officers. I planned to cross the Santee at Muray’s Ford, above Laneu’s, and strike almost due south to Monk’s Corner, where I would take the road to Strawberry. My only danger-point would be George- town on the east, from which Tickridge might be riding. Once in my uncle’s home back in Charleston, I did not believe I would be embarrassed. I had come in con- tact with Captain Tans and had aroused his resentment but he was fresh from Savan- nah and might not.enter the citv for weeks. Then there was always the chance he would be killed. Even at the worst I feared him little. I had appropriated his half-witted prisoner to act as my guide. Lieutenant Chats had a high opinion of Adventure my uncle’s influence at headquarters, and felt friendly toward me. Old Ambros, my next point of contact, could testify I had done him a service in charging Ganner’s men. ‘There was no one, likely to visit the city, who could know of my trip to Snow’s Island and my interview with General Marion. Tickridge, however, was a real menace. Could events hold him in Georgetown, or should his thick head be bashed in, his story of the passes and my impersonation of Major Wemyss would never bob up to bother me. One other peril, although I deemed it slight, was the possibility of meeting officers who did not know me, and who had received word from Wemyss to pick up all strangers garbed as gentlemen. Did this happen I would be in a sorry plight. The nearer I drew to Charleston the less I feared this last possible evil. Committed to stealth until at least I had passed Muray’s Ford, I studied the lonely landscape carefully, but was cem- pelled to admit the country was new to me. The prospects of passing the night in the open without blankets were not alluring as the evening air was very crisp. To obtain shelter [ began examining the scattered houses along my way. These were almost invariably in a ruined condition. Of seme only the chimneys were standing. Others had no roofs. And in some the oakum stuffing between the logs was burned out leaving the watls looking like the ribs of skeletons. And I was hungry. My two hundred pounds of beef were clamoring for food. Altogether it was a most asinine plight for one pretending to know something of the country to fall into. The countryside began to fade out, the background of majestic pines becoming opaque masses, while the nearer objects grew vague and uncertain in outline. I had stopped at half a dozen different habita- tions, only to reject them all, when on my right a light pierced the gathering darkness, thrusting at me like a spear of flame by a growth of black cypress,- then vanishing. I turned from the winding road and made toward it, going largely by chance, as‘ the light had shown only for a moment. I groped my way a few hundred feet before it appeared again. This time it endured for a count of five. It was entirely too powerful for a candle. Nor was it a camp-fire, for its illumination cCOmiclboolks (CO