Adventure Magazine Cover, October 10, 1921 — page 44: what you’re looking at

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

34 “There shore was!” agreed Tupper. But Wilcox had turned away with a heavy heart. Up ahead, lanterns were gleaming between the trees of the ditch and the somber boss went forward to count the cost of victory. He loved Steve Adams as a son. He was fond of the cheery boy they called Anaconda Phil. He wondered if blood-guilt were not on his own head for calling in these boys to fight his battles. He knew some one had to battle for the liberties of the range, but now he saw what it meant in bloodshed and monstrous cruelty. He felt sick at heart. But though his mind was in agony his face was impassive and he puffed at his cigar from pure mechanical habit. On the ground lay seven men, crumpled in sprawling positions in the field behind the ditch, motionless forever. The flicker- ing lantern-lights played over them and glared upon the terrible marks of gunshot wounds. . One of them was Tonio Lopez. The men nearest Wilcox watched him curiously and whispered to each other. He caught the voice of the closest one. “My , he’s a wooden man! Smokin’ a seegar like he was in a parlor! No heart, no feelin’s, nothin’!”’ The boss, standing over the wilted body of Lopez, turned and stared. XI THE slaughter of the Three Buttes \Gm ditch electrified the county. The Ne gun-battle that ended George Min- den’s dance was a declaration of war that could not be misunderstood. The next month was a bloody one on the range. The sheriff soon arrived at the Wilcox ranch-house, coming in state with several deputies for an official investigation, which also meant visits to the Minden ranch. The sheriff heard many versions of the affair, but nobody admitted starting the fight so he finally gave it up as a bad job. He had other troubles anyhow. : “T reckon you done pretty well,” he told Wilcox. “If you shoot a few more like Tonio Lopez mebbe the range’ll be cleaner. If you need any help, call on me.” There the investigation ended. Steve Adams lingered at the Three Buttes ranch, hovering on the shores of Lethe. Minden showed a frantic desire to see him Adventure recover, and stubbornly remained to help nurse him, although the ranch-owner’s fullest attention was demanded on the range. Wilcox appreciated Minden. As he watched the restless, haggard, worried, like- able host he was thankful that Steve had fallen into such good hands. Wilcox was no help in a sick-room and he knew it. He only stayed by, patiently and mutely, without smoking. ‘ Daphne also stayed with Steve. She was no longer coquettish. After the first shock of horror at the murders she was cool and resolute. She compelled her par- ents to let her remain at Three Buttes. Wilcox marveled at her efficiency. She was a woman now, a gentle, quiet, tireless woman with a wistful look in her eyes that the boss sympathized with. Wilcox himself showed the marks of the struggle. As the days passed he became a little more silent, grim and austere. Trage- dies crowded upon him. Incidents came thick and fast. He was the pivot of a whirlwind. For his temporary foreman the boss chose Wind River Pete, a freckled young fellow who knew cattle and talked with a slow drawl. In three days Pete was brought to the ranch-house with his thigh shattered and blood oozing from his right shoulder. He had met some persons who were re- branding Wilcox calves. Two days-later a man named Jamieson, an.Arizonan on the ranch, was found in a gully with his jaw almost shot off. A straw- covered wagon brought him to the ranch- house and a doctor was again rushed from town. A week later the boss was riding with Crow Foot Sam. They met strangers who - opened fire at sight. For the first time Wilcox used a six-shooter. He had thought it theatrical to wear one, but gradually he realized the desperation of this range war and armed himself. He was forced to shoot when he and Sam suddenly came on a gathering of hostile strangers in the foothills, but the odds were too great and Wilcox and Sam made a sullen retreat. A stray bullet smashed Sam’s right foot. The boss had trouble getting him home. : The ranch-house began to resemble a hospital. Red bandages and the smell of drugs were all over the place. The lines on COnmiclboooks Cc C@