Adventure, January 20, 1922 — page 178: what you’re looking at

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

176 Just once it roared. Mora jerked back, seemed to collapse like a bundle of rags and crashed to the floor. The woman dropped the gun and stag- gered back against the bar, her flimsy dress flaming. She screamed as Blaze grabbed her and swung her around. His ebbing strength flared up as his hand grasped her bodice and with one jerk he ripped off her gown and sent her spinning into the group of hysterical girls. Blaze kicked the flaming dress to the center of the room. For a moment there was silence; then came a dull thump. Frenchy Ditteau had fallengto his knees, straddling his captive, clutching him with both hands. “De job is done.’ Frenchy’s voice was barely audible. ‘‘De bad-man she’s all trough in Wolf Butte, and I’m ver’ tire’ of de squash, squash Frenchy slid forward across his man, face down. Blaze tried to go to him, but the room whirled. In a dull sort of a way he seemed to feel hands grasping him and carrying him away. It seemed good to move without effort. Suddenly the hands seemed to release him. His body stiffened to take the shock, which did not come. Then he opened his eyes. He was in a strange room. Across from him he could see another bed, around which a blue cloud seemed to hover. He tried to move, but his left side seemed to be bandaged tightly. After a moment’s reflection he lifted his head. A man was standing at a window, while another was humped over, sitting in a chair. Footsteps were coming up the hall. The man got out of his chair and went to the door. For a few moments there was a whis- pered conversation. The door closed and the man came toward the foot of the bed. It was Chuck Sales. He glanced at Blaze and a glad smile lighted up his homely features. He dropped a heavy object on a table and came quickly to the head of the bed. “Carlin,” he said, “I’m danged glad to see yuh with your eyes open.” “Ba gosh!” came an exclamation from the smoke enshrouded bed across the room. “Blaze, are you ’wake up?” “Hello, old pardner,” called Blaze weakly. Adventure The other man came to Blaze. It was Judge Whalen. He looked down at Blaze, a glad smile in his eyes. “Vuh might tell me about it,’ suggested Blaze. “Doc Brenton told me to keep yuh quiet,’ stated Sales, “but I don’t reckon a little tellin’ is goin’ to hurt yuh any. Them women wasn’t hurt none and Mora’s gang is completely wiped out. Wolf Butte is tamed, Carlin.” “Do yuh mean that?” queried Blaze. “Did all that killin’ do any good?” The judge picked up the small table and carried it around to where Blaze could see it. On it were at least twenty pistols. Sales lifted the top two and smiled down at Blaze. “These two just came in. ‘There ain’t nobody down there to make ’em give up their guns, but they’re all doin’ it. Dm takin’ it upon myself to look out for you two, but I wish you’d hurry up and git well. ‘““A few more days of this civilized town and I won’t have a horse-thief left to fol- low me. You fellers sure did put one awful crimp in my business.” Sales walked back to the window and the judge sat down on the edge of the bed. “Carlin, you can’t realize what you have done,” said the judge softly, and then added—“‘you and Ditteau. It will be years before Wolf Butte will be anything except a border-town, but it will be an or- derly border-town—a town where good men and women may live in peace. You took the only method of making it change its ways, and—well, we won’t try to thank you.” “Youre welcome, judge,’ said Blaze simply. “Ym sure had one gran’ time—me,” stated Frenchy. “‘Nobody she’s have to t’ank Frenchy Ditteau, ba gosh, biccause I’m enjoy everyt’ing, you bet.” “You fightin’ son of a gun!” laughed Sales and pointed out of the window. “Here comes more artillery. Reckon I better git my gang and drag out of here before a preacher hits town.” Blaze grinned contentedly and stared up at the ceiling: He had done something for the country—something worth while, and he was glad. GO DOO KS = a (E@