Adventure Magazine Cover, August 18, 1921 — page 98: what you’re looking at

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

Q2 I found Murdo and Ghitza bathing the horses in the river near the camp. ‘Whoa, hey you! The others are sleep- ing. Help bathe the horses,” called the chief to me. Soon Ileana appeared and rode out into the water farther than I had dared. I edged the horse I was riding close to hers. “You must never get drunk again,” she said to me. “For if you do Costa will stab you when you are asleep.” ‘And who is Costa?” IL asked. “And why should he stab me when I sleep?” “Because you danced with me last night. There he comes now.” I looked around. A dark and slender boy of my own age was wading in the river and as he passed by us he stretched the long leather tongue of his short-handled whip as if it was meant to urge the horses, but in reality he aimed the lash at my face. ‘“‘Are you blind?” I yelled, veering my horse toward him, holding a hand to my face where the tip of the whip had touched it. “No. I am not,” he shot back, looking over my head to the girl. “Then [ll blind you if you try that trick again,” I yelled. “Look at that scribbar! Look at him!” laughed Costa as he looked at me in scorn. By that time Murdo and Ghitza and a few others had surrounded us. “Vou leave him alone,” ordered Ghitza. “He has not come with us to fight. He has come to live in peace.” As he spoke he looked at Murdo who watched me closely. “He is not afraid of Costa, Ghitza; I know he is not. I know his blood. And let them “have it out right now,” the chief said. ‘‘Get off your horses and to the shore, both of you!” I was so excited that I landed the first blow as soon as the circle was formed around us. We fought bare-handed. There were no rules to be observed. It was: hit how and where you can! We fought and wrestled while the others urged us on. It did not take me very long to have the best of the scramble. Costa was bleeding when they took him away from me. Ileana brought water and helped stanch the blood from an ugly gash in my chin. Costa had sunk his teeth there while laying under me. “You are strong,” Ileana said to me. . Adventure “But Costa will stab you just the same. You are careless.” “Let him try; let him try!” I answered as I washed my face. “You have no dagger. I shall give you mine.” And quickly, before I knew from where, she put a small, fine-bladed dagger in my belt. WE WENT to the fair again with our horses that day. Whatever dif- ference had existed between the Gipsies and myself had been bridged by my fight with Costa. The sun had baked my face brown, and as I had lost one of my shoes in the river I was bare-footed like most other Tziganes. No one questioned about my not being a Gipsy and I was flattered to hear the peas- ants call me— “Hey, Tzigane, scribbler, come here and make out the bill of sale.” Even the dogs accepted me and no longer eyed me with suspicion when I rode a horse to show off its advantages to a possible buyer. That night I did not tarry at the inn with the others. I was the only male in the camp. The feel of my dagger’s point, which I had inspected closely, made me proud and savagely ready to use it should occasion offer. After the meal which I ate with Ghitza’s household Ileana sat down by me near the camp-fire. “They say you left your home because of a girl,” she said. “‘Is she very beautiful?” “Ves,” I answered, and actually saw Rita again in the filmy Parisian gown she had worn a few nights before. ‘More beautiful than—” I continued dreamily. “Then why did you fight Costa?” ‘““Because he insulted me.” “Oh!” she exclaimed and, leaping on her feet, she was away in an instant. Only onée before had I seen such graceful and swift running. It was when a chamois had been badly scared in the mounttins. A few hours later, Murdo, hea. d by fiddlers who sang and played as they marched, followed by the 1:st of the male population of his tribe, returned noisily to the camp. I was still sitting by the camp- fire. “Hey—you! All alone? Where is Tleana?” he thundered, laughing broadly. “Where is Ileana?” they all asked in chorus COmiclboolks (©