Adventure Magazine Cover, August 18, 1921 — page 103: what you’re looking at

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

THE ;.LECTRIC HORSE E, THE “2-Bar”’ outfit, sat in a row, our backs to the bunk- house, smoking after-supper ciga- emeumemme rets and watching the sats at play along the Coyote Range. A sag-bellied bank of cloud, miles long and blue-black, drooped over the sunset and danced upon the hills with spidery, electric legs. “Guess some of them nesters up in the Coyotes ‘ll have their crops stamped out,” the Kid commented. Van Doorn, the roper, spat accurately between his feet. “T should worry. What the do we care for farmers, anyhow? Let her rip; let her ramble I say; let her split wide open slong as she lays some of this dog-gone heat.”’ “TD’you get that, boys?” Long John, the foreman, inquired, whittling a plug of T and B into his palm. ‘‘None of you ain’t to interefere with the lightning for Van’s sake. He likes it.” “‘More’n I do, then,” grumbled young Bercini, cuddling a snapping cattle-pup in his arms. “Ever done any night-herding in a storm like this and have the bunch get a run on with you in front? Ihave. There was four of us and three fell and got trod out like red jelly. Now lightning scares me stiff I don’t mind telling you. When it’s around I wanna burrow like a prairie-dog.” “Better get down the potato cellar and sit there with a Bible balanced on your head like an old woman I uster know,” drawled Van Doorn. ‘“Swore the lightning daresent strike her through it.” 7 by CROSBIE GARSTIN 97 ‘Never seen the Bible used thataway,” said Long John, ‘“‘but I’ve seen ’em lie on the floor with a stack of mattresses on top. Swore the lightning would never think of looking for ’em there, an’ if it did the mat- tresses would take the sting out of the strike.” “Would they?” the Kid inquired, inno- cently. “Sure,” said Long John; “lightning will bounce off a mattress. You try it. But mind you the mattress must be good and springy.” “{ done heard somewheres that rubber was good thing against ’lectricity,”’ said the Kid. Long John nodded. “Then you done heard correct, son; it’s a sure cure. If you should get stroked by lightning any time dissolve one automobile tire in a gallon of hot water and then gargle it. You'll be as good as new.” The Kid growled angrily: “Aw cut out the bull, Long! I ain’t so green as all that. What I mean is that ’lec- tricity won’t touch you through rubber.” “Tt won’t,” said a new voice decisively. We all turned. It was the stranger who had spoken. He had come loping into the yard ten minutes before supper and was now lounging replete against the wall, his hat-brim almost resting on his nose, a limp cigaret drooping from his clean-shaven mouth. Other than that he enjoyed an ex- tremely healthy appetite and rode a mare with the “gridiron” brand we knew nothing about him. Except to pitchfork our vic- tuals into it he had not previously opened his mouth. [DOO S 5}