Adventure Magazine Cover — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

14 the men. ‘We didn’t look for any fight, Tug. Somebody yelped ‘Look out!’ and one of them campers went fora gun. I seen Mears fall off his horse, and then me and Monte smoked up the wagon where the shot comes from. About that time the storm hits us.’’ 74 of a fine job!’ growled Tug Leeds, ‘“‘Lose two of my best men, lose their horses and all we gets is eight half-worn-out work- horses.” ‘““We done the best we could,”’ stated the wounded outlaw. “It was blowin’ and as dark as pitch, and yuh couldn’t hear yourself yell. I reckon we was lucky to get as many horses as we did.” “Billings would ’a’ got the whole works,” said Tug. “Mears didn’t have no brains.”’ “What was this stuff about Skeeter Bill?” asked the wounded outlaw. “All through!” snapped Tug. “I gave him five hours to git out, and I reckon he went. If he shows up in Sunbeam, shoot him.” “Sounds all right,” grinned the wounded one painfully. ‘Shootin’ Skeeter Bill ain’t no cinch. He’s dangerous, Tug. When he stands sideways there ain’t nothin’ to shoot at.” “By ——, I won’t stand for him livin’ here!’ snapped Tug venomously. ‘“‘Me and you is two different kind of caterpillars,’ smiled the wounded outlaw. “Skeeter Bill ain’t never done nothin’ to me.” “Y’m runnin’ this town!” roared Tug. “Then run Skeeter Bill,’ retorted the wounded man, turning to the door, “I’m goin’ to git my arm fixed up.” He shut the door behind him and almost ran into a man who was just coming in. ‘Che man growled and went inside. He went straight to Leeds. This newcomer was a lanky, pasty-faced type, and his breath came jerkily as he blurted: “Tug, I just heard somethin’ yuh might ke to hear. Some of the miners had a meetin’ tonight and thev’re goin’ to form a vigilance committee to stop = “Hold on!” snapped Tug. ‘Git your breath, Cullop. Now, talk slow and don’t git excited.” “Up at the Keystone,” explained Cullop, “T heard ’em talkin’, Tug. Said they was goin’ to band together and lynch everybody what they suspected of robbin’ miners. There was about a dozen of ’em. I heard "em mention Skeeter Bill.” _ Adventure Tug Leeds laughed raspingly. “That’s good. By , ’ll furnish the rope if they want to hang him. Cullop, you keep your ears and eyes open. Allen, you and Benson go to bed and keep your mouths shut. These miners will have a fine chance of findin’ out anything. If Skeeter Bill shows up, let me know right away. Cullop, yuh better go to Skeeter’s shack in the mornin’ and see if that drunken lawyer went away, too.” The three men went out. Tug Leeds sat down at his desk and lit a fresh cigar. As far as the miners were concerned he felt no anxiety, but he was afraid that the effect of the vigilance committee might discourage his men. He could ill afford to have any- thing moral happen to Sunbeam. He deliberated what he would do to “Sandy” McClain, the wounded outlaw, for insubordination. Sandy was tempera- mental, inclined to rebel, and Tug could not afford to have a discordant note in his organization. Either Billings or Mears could have disposed of Sandy, but both of them were gone. Tug left the dirty work to his assistants, not being a gunman him- self. Tug could shoot, but not face to face with a man. He was an organizer—not an operative. He had at least a dozen men left, but not one of them could he trust as he trusted Billings and Mears. é Skeeter Bill!” grunted Tug aloud. He spat out his frayed cigar and prepared for bed. It had been a most unprofitable day for Tug Leeds, and Tug hated any day that did not show a balance on the right side of his ledger. V SKEETER BILL slept little that eS) night. One of the outlaw’s saddle- =J horses drifted into the camp and Skeeter Bill caught it. The horse had be- longed to Mears. Somehow, Skeeter Bill was indignant at Leeds for sending his men on this mission. He felt that Méars and Brent had received their just deserts for robbing the wagon-train, and for some rea- son he did not feel this way because of any- thing antagonistic to Leeds. Skeeter Bill found himself alined with law and order, but quickly recovered. Didn’t he come down there to rob? Did the presence of this girl and the old preacher make him glad he was too late to beat C@ DOOKS (©