Adventure Magazine Cover — page 151: what you’re looking at

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

Ihe Sheriff of Sun Complete Wake Novelette eae S pes rss t Do Wa Author of “Sun-Dog Trails,” “Law Rustlers,”’ etc. T WAS a hot day in Marlin City, the county seatofSun-DogCounty. It had often been said that there was only one tree between Marlin City and the Arctic Circle to break the north winds of Winter, and that the aforemen- tioned tree was too far north to afford Mar- lin City any shade during the Summer. At the hitch-rack, in front of the Dollar Down saloon and gambling hall, stood a for- Jorn looking saddle-horse, head down, as though seeking the shade of its own body. A long lean dog of nondescript breed slouched along the hot board sidewalk, hunting a shady spot. From Le Blanc’s blacksmith shop came the odors of burning hoof, as the muscular French-Canadian swore at the stifling heat and tried to fit a hot shoe to the hoof of a half-broke bronco. Inside the sheriff’s office sat “Brick” Davidson, the new sheriff, and his deputy “Silent” Slade. ‘The former sheriff, “Bunty” Blair, had appointed Brick as his deputy, and had resigned in Brick’s favor. . Bunty was glad to resign. Sun-Dog was no place for a weak-kneed sheriff, such as Bunty Blair. There was nothing weak about Brick David- son. His flaming thatch of bright, brick- colored hair, a thin freckled nose, and an in- domitable view of right and wrong, bid fair to make changes in cowland. Sun-Dog County did not elect Brick Davidson, al- though they had a chance at the last elec- tion. Sun-Dog followed the lines of least resistance and elected Bunty Blair. In fact, Brick had received the whole sum of seven votes—including his own. Lafe Freeman, owner of the Nine Bar outfit, of which Brick had been foreman, stated that Brick knew too much to get elected sheriff. Bunty’s resignation and Brick’s appoint- ment had been ratified by a majority of the board of county commissioners. Bill Voor- hies, owner of the Lazy H outfit, and the acknowledged leader of the commissioners, was not in favor of Brick’s appointment, but the board had acted in the absence of Voor- hies and he could do nothing less than agree. Voorhies was a ponderous sort of person, loud of mouth, slow of action, and desiring power above all things. In the past three months he had shipped a great number of beef cattle, and was entertaining a buyer at the time Brick was appointed. He bossed the county commissioners and bragged of the fact. Voorhies might have become a big politician and a power in the State, but—— Through sound reasoning Brick had cleared Scott Martin and his adopted daughter, Jean, of all complicity in the rob- bery of the Whipoorwill stage, and had suc- ceeded in bringing retribution where retri- bution was due. Two men had paid the penalty with their lives, while the third, Zell Mohr, had been given a life sentence, but in trying to escape from the train on the way to the penitentiary had been instantly killed. Incidentally, Brick had won the thousand dollar reward. It had been a big day in Marlin City, but after the smoke of 141 HOO) S C@ inn