Adventure Magazine Cover — page 28: what you’re looking at

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

20 They walked back to their shack and went inside before either spoke a word. Skeeter got a towel and sponged the blood from the judge’s face, working as tenderly as a woman. “Ought to ’a’ let him start to pull,’”’ mut- tered Skeeter. ‘“‘Reckon I forgot I had a gun.” Skeeter finished his rough surgery, and the judge walked over across the room to where the mirror had hung, but remembered smashing it. “T am beginning to be superstitious, Skeeter Bill,” he said, turning to Skeeter. ‘“T smashed our mirror today, and the old belief concerning broken mirrors seems to have started its baleful predictions.” “Tug Leeds must ’a’ smashed one, too,” grinned Skeeter, examining his sore knuckles. Then, seriously, “What did he say to you, judge?” “Chided me for not obeying his order. He was under the impression that you had left the country. By the way, Skeeter Bill, the miners are forming a vigilance committee to run out outlawry from Sun- beam.” ‘““What?” Skeeter Bill got to his feet staring at the judge. ‘Vigilance commit- tee? How do yuh know?” “One of them came looking for you.” SKEETER BILL’S eyes were seri- ous and the lines deepened around his mouth. It was one thing to fight outlaws and another to fight against law and order. It was true that no one knew him as one of the outlaws, none that he knew about, but why should one of the committee come to find him? The judge’s voice brought him out of his reveries. “What about this minister and the girl, Skeeter Bill? What did you mean by saying that you were going to back them?” “What I said, I reckon,” replied Skecter, staring at the floor. “Getting religious, Skeeter Bill?” softly. Skeeter looked at the judge and a smile wreathed his lips. ‘“‘No-o-o, I reckon not, judge. Yuh see I kinda figured that a sky-pilot would rasp Tug Leeds plumb ragged. Tug orates that he owns the town, and I knowed he’d just about rise and shine at the idea of holdin’ church in Sunbeam.” “Just where did you discover these folks?” Adventure Skeeter told him of the fight at the Poplar Springs, and the wiping out of the whole outfit, with the exceptions of the minister and the girl. Judge Tareyton listened closely to the description of the burial, shaking his head sadly. “T knew Williams,” he said softly. “Tug Leeds’ soul, if he has a soul, should shrivel and die with last night’s work. Williams was a good man. By gad, Skeeter Bill, this outlawry should be wiped out! Leeds and his crew should be dangling from ropes at this minute. [T’?’m——”’ ‘““Hol’ on,” said Skeeter hoarsely, ‘Hol’ on, judge. I’m no better than they are. T ain’t never killed no helpless folks—ain’t never killed no man who ain’t had a even break, but I reckon mebbe they’d better string me up with the rest of ’em.” Judge Tareyton stared at Skeeter Bill’s outburst. It was not often that Skeeter Bill showed any emotion by voice or action, but now his homely face was very serious, and his long arms dangled loosely at his sides as he stared into space. For an appreciable space of time not a word was spoken; then the judge crossed the room and put his hand on Skeeter Bill’s shoulder. Skeeter looked up quickly. “Don’t say it, pardner. You’d argue that I wasn’t as bad as that bunch and didn’t deserve what they do, but you’re wrong. If they deserve a rope—so do I.” ‘Skeeter Bill,” said the judge softly, “‘you jump at conclusions. I was just going to agree with you.’ Skeeter looked up at the serious expres- sion on Judge Tareyton’s face and broke intoalaugh. Skeeter Bill did not confine his merriment to facial contortions and vocal expression—he laughed from his heels to his head. “They may hang you,” said the judge when Skeeter had regained normal condi- tions, ‘‘but I am fairly sure that you will be the only one at the occasion to see any humor in the situation.”’ “T hope it’s a funny hangin’,” said Skee- ter, serious again. “ ’Pears to me that it’s a even bet whether I get hung or killed with a bullet. Kinda between the devil and the deep blue sea, as my dad used to say. I ain’t got much choice, I reckon, unless it is to get out of town, and I hates to be herded.” “Perhaps we had better go, 99 9) suggested GOMiIGooo <S) (©