Adventure Magazine Cover, October 10, 1921 — page 55: what you’re looking at

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

The Silent Captain After the tragedy in Yellow Valley she couldn’t stay in the old adobe house, so she picked up her baby and made for the Wil- cox ranch, where she had two weeks of ner- vous prostration and sobbing fits. The boss bore it patiently, but sometimes when Gennerveeve screeched and burst into tears over the breakfast table his cigars were badly chewed up for the rest of the morning. Wilcox spent most of his time on the range, where Steve was both foreman and teacher. Steve’s ranch work was well done. It left the boss plenty of time to plot his campaigns and hold down the lid at the ranch-house. Wilcox was grateful. “Steve,” he said, one day when about to start for home from the range, ‘‘when con- ditions are clearer I am going to need a younger partner. You are the man I want.” Wilcox rode away and prevented any reply, but in the back of his head was a thought even more important than Steve Adams. Perhaps some day he could center his life in the old ranch-house with the bride of his youth beside him, leaving the management on younger shoulders. And perhaps behind this he had thoughts of working outward from the ranch—even to the State Legis- lature and beyond. But that was for the future. ZZ an hour after sunset. He found the front room dark and lit the lamp at the long table. The light fell on two en- velopes, one white and addressed witha pencil-scrawl, the other yellow and bearing a stamp. Wilcox opened the white one first. HE ARRIVED at the ranch-house A piece of paper dropped out and he read a- highly amazing announcement: “Plese excus handritig. Me and Mr. Tuper have gone away to get marred. Genaveve.”’ It gave him a jolt. He smoked like a fire- engine. Then his eyes twinkled and he picked up the yellow envelope. It was from a San Francisco friend who had kept in touch with.Australia. The message was brief, but it made Wilcox’s stoical face change color: “Blum drowned while being pursued by Austra- lian police after a barroom riot. Body found and identified. I await your instructions.” The boss sank into his chair. wrote instructions. Voluminously. There was a new light on his grim face Later he 45 when Daphne Adams happened in later and found him writing. As he glanced up, his thoughtful eyes seemed radiant; but he gravely handed her the white paper. ‘What does this mean?”’ She read it with mixed emotions. “They must have gone four hours ago. That was when Mister Tupper rode up, but I didn’t know he intended this!”’ “Did you know they were friendly?” “Very. They have been together most of the time. Let me see. It started when she first came here. He began to apologize about something. I don’t know what it was, but she forgave him. They’ve been very friendly ever since.” “T know what it was,”’ grunted the boss. ‘“‘Now what will her father say? He hates Tupper.” Wilcox sent a courier to summon Tibbs. The father arrived next evening and the news was broken. Jasper Tibbs raved and tore his hair. The lank Missourian wanted blood. He waved his bony arms and cried to high Heaven. “Him!” shrieked Tibbs. ‘“My , Mis- ter Wilcox! Us Tibbses was allus keerful who we ’sociated with and now we’ve got a shufflin’, yawpin’, no-’count, big-mouth slob right in the middle of our fambly! My ! Gimme a gun—gimme a hoss! [ll blow his ornery head off!”’ “He may make good,” suggested the boss. ‘Give him a chance.”’ It made Tibbs sizzle. He almost frothed at the mouth. It took nearly an hour to calm him, and then he exploded again every so often. “He’s no good!” exclaimed the irate father, suddenly. ‘“‘If it wasn’t for that meetin’ Friday I’d go to town an’ bust him . apart!” “What meeting?” : “Curry an’ Kelly an’ Vance an’ a thal passel of ’em holds a big pow-wow in Deep Valley Friday afternoon. They’re a-goin’ to find what to do with ye. Ill be thar an’ tell ye what happens. If ’twa’n’t for that I’d go to town an’ bust that no-’count Tup- per to pieces! I'll lick that triflin’ Gen- nerveeve till she yells bloody murder!” ‘“‘What do these Curry friends propose to do?” insisted Wilcox. “{ dunno. I reckon they aim to snow ye under.” “Oh.”’ DOOLK C@