Adventure Magazine Cover, October 10, 1921 — page 56: what you’re looking at

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

46 The boss saw he was now facing frightful odds. He forgot about Tupper and Gen- nerveeve. His mind concentrated on the main problem of survival. “Go back to your home,” he ordered Tibbs. “Learn what you can, but do not be in Deep Valley Friday. Do you under- stand?” “Why shouldn’t I go there? want to know what happens?”’ “No. I only want you to. be out of it.” }?? “Then [ll go look for Tupper! Don’t ye “‘Go back to your ranch!’ snapped the boss. : The outraged father went. Wilcox felt as though an avalanche were poised above his head and ready to launch itself upon him at any time. He knew he had come to the great crisis of his life. But instead of showing trepidation he showed action. Tibbs’s visit was on a Tuesday night. Before midnight couriers were riding east, west, north and south. Two evenings later, silent troops of armed horsemen arrived and pitched camp in the alfalfa patch in front of the ranch garden. Foremen went into the house and held con- ference with the quiet, bearded man behind the long table. So did ranch-owners and citizens from the town. That night a great cattleman’s associa- tion was formed. The men were ready for it and they had only needed a meeting to bring it about. The time was ripe. Some of the greatest ranches in Arizona were welded that night into a protective alliance which was to make its power, felt. The man chosen to head the new organi- zation was the silent sea-captain from San Francisco. eS morning. He counted fifty armed men, well mounted and_ well equipped. Some had come long distances, arriving just before daybreak, but they were all ready and eager for the word to start. Wilcox gave the order at mid-morning. “It’s smash or be smashed this time!”’ he grunted, as he swung into the saddle. He was confident that range gossip had not learned of the mobilization, but he had told no one his plans anyhow. His move- ments had been fast and secret. The ranchmen rode in a solid column. Scouts were thrown out in every direction. XV WILCOX marshaled his hosts next Adventure The column took a circuitous route through the foothills, keeping out of sight from the plains. Deep Valley was thirty miles away to thé northward, Just at the edge of the flat lands. It was barren of vegetation and bounded by steep hills clustered with rocks and boulders. Steve Adams rode with two scouts far in advance of Wilcox. He arrived at the last hill from Deep Valley. Suspecting that Curry might have posted guards, Steve and his companions left their horses in a gully and slipped up among the boulders of the hill. They found a man sitting on a boulder, smoking a cigaret and holding a rifle across his knees. The man was thrown, gagged and bound before he realized what had happened. Steve then walked cautiously to the edge of the hilltop and peered downward. Be- low was the brown floor of the valley, fairly alive with armed men, some sitting in a circle and some loafing around aimlessly. One quartet sat with a deck of cards be- tween its members. Beyond these, under the brow of the opposite hill, were horses galore—brown, white, black and pinto, with reins sagging from their bits, ready for travel at any time. ““Everybody’s here!” exclaimed Steve. ‘“‘Look—there’s Curry, Bonner, Vance, Kelly, Indian Billy, Black Murray—every- body! It’s a round-up! It’s the biggest pow-wow since the Apaches were caught!” _ Steve sent a man back to inform the boss -of everything. Within a half-hour Wilcox and his ranchmen had arrived at the rear gully, dismounted, and climbed up among the boulders. Wilcox and Bennett were soon peering down upon the unsuspecting crowd in the eM force even larger than their own. The ranchers took station quietly behind rocks. There was the rattle of rifles un- slung and the glint of six-shooters flicking from their holsters. ‘“‘They’s shore a-goin’ to be trouble pop- pin’ around yere!”’ prophesied Jasper Tibbs, leaning on a rifle alongside the boss. “Not for us!’ grunted Wilcox. “They'll be pow’ful ornery!’’? demurred Tibbs. ‘“‘No. Look around you.” Tibbs looked. Below him stretched the deep brown valley, running east and west, with only one narrow outlet to the east- ward leading toward the range. Wilcox COMmGhoo Cc SS C@