Adventure Magazine Cover — page 98: what you’re looking at

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

The Doom Trail Gr . Author of “Man to Man,” “Claymore,” A Five-Pat Story a ET Hl élc. The first part of the story briefly retold in story form T WAS on the night of my return, incognito, from France as a refugee to London, that I inadver- tently ran to the aid of a man who was beset by cut- throats. He turned out to be Master Juggins, an old friend of my family’s, and in gratitude he gave me succor in his home. But I was outlawed every- where, for I had first trafficked with the Jacobite constituents of Charles, the Pretender, and then quit them, having wearied of popish intrigues. Master Juggins resolved to use me for my own good, and incidentally advance his fortunes also. He proposed sending me to the new continent of America in the interest of his trade and to assist in counteracting a plot by a certain Andrew Murray, influential in Government and trade circles. I accepted gladly; and so in disguise accompanied Juggins to a meeting of the Lords Commission- ers. It was here that I learned how the opposition stood. Accordingly Juggins secured passage for me on the first boat bound for the New World. I sailed the following Saturday, and discovered to my disgust that Murray, his daughter and his friend de Veulle, a traitor whom I had once humiliated at Paris, were fellow-passengers. Murray was guarded by an ape-like negro, and I was on the lookout for trouble. De Veulle saw through the disguise I was wearing, and a quarrel started. Shortly afterward some one crept up behind and overpowered me. I struggled, but it was no use. I could not resist the snakelike arms which mastered me. One shifted swiftly to a grip on my legs. I was whirled into the air and dropped clear of the railing—falling—falling, until the cold waters engulfed me. When I found myself in the water I thought death to be but a brace of minutes away, for I was rapidly growing numb from the cold. By some ‘miracle I chanced upon a rope hanging over the side of the ship, and by it I was able to climb back on board. Once on deck, I sewed an Q2 iron-tipped hand bar, and sought for the negro. I soon ran afoul of him and laid him low before he had time to recover from his surprize. Murray and de Veulle witnessed the attack, and our quarrel commenced afresh. At this point Murray’s daughter appeared, and though learning the cause of the disturbance set her heart against me. Thereupon we all declared a truce till we should reach New York. Upon my arrival in the New World I went to a tavern, pending the time for an interview with the governor. As I passed through a side street I saw an Indian chief who was being harried by raga- muffins. ‘These I drove off, and immediately the Seneca, whose name was Ta-wan-ne-ars, and I became fast friends. Eventually I met Governor Burnet, who wel- comed me and read all my documents which I had from Master Juggins. He put me in touch with the trade situation, and I heard also all about the Red Death and the Doom Trail for the first time. The governor explained that this Trail was a secret route established by Murray for smuggling soods into Canada. No one knew just where it ra Any one who attempted to find it was certain to meet his doom. This trail was aiding the French in their schemes to gain predominance of trade and ultimately to overthrow the British power in America. In return for his services Murray would receive a dukedom, wealth and great trade concessions. It developed that my help was needed in securing information regarding a new fort under construction by the French at Niagara; and then the discovery of the Trail itself. I was introduced to Corlaer, an old woodsman and friend to our cause. On the way back to my lodgings I was set upon by the Red Death—one of Murray’s minions. He had very nearly done for me but for the timely rescue of the Seneca. A few days later I started for Albany with Go [OO =) (C@