Adventure Magazine Cover — page 36: what you’re looking at

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

28 “Didn’t amount to nothin’, but kinda shows that a feller’s home ain’t sacred nowdays.”’ McClung smiled, but grew serious. “Sarg, we gave you until tomorrow to decide about leadin’ us, but the boys are at the Keystone cabin and they want to see yuh.” Skeeter looked at the judge, who was hanging a blanket over the one window. Suddenly the judge staggered back, as if from a heavy blow, and from the outside came the whang of a rifle. The judge regained his balance and turned, a quizzical look on his frowsy face. He Jooked at Skeeter and McClung and pointed back at the window. “Skeeter Bill—you—forgot—window—I —I—they—by—gad—it’s—dark f: He swayed forward and Skeeter Bill caught him in his arms and _ half-dragged him to the bed. McClung helped Skeeter remove the judge’s old Prince Albert coat and the faded shirt. The bullet had torn its wav completely through the shoulder, making a wicked wound. “Lucky it was on the right side,” mut- tered McClung. Skeeter Bill’s homely face was drawn with suffering as he looked down at his partner—his old drunken lawyer partner— and then he looked up at McClung. “He can’t make it, McClung,” hoarsely. “He’s all burnt up with whisky. Might as well hit him dead center.”’ Judge Tareyton gasped and opened his eyes. For a moment he seemed uncertain, but the blurred look faded from his eyes and he half-smiled up at Skeeter. “T know you won’t lie to me, Skeeter Bill,”’ he said weakly. “Have I got a chance?” Skeeter’s eyes turned slowly away and the lines of his face seemed to harden to granite as he turned slowly back and looked down at the judge. “Judge, that ain’t a fair question. God A’mighty is the only one what can answer that. Old pardner, you’ve got a big hole in your right shoulder and your body ain’t fit for a hard battle. You’ve still got a fightin’ chance, but it’s got toe be fought wiih your brains.” Judge Tareyton smiled. “Brains? Skeeter Bill, if I had brains I would still have a fighting body. You have been good to me, son. It appears that until now I have not realized how good you have been.” Adventure Skeeter Bill turned away, rubbing the palms of his hands on his hips. The blurred look came back to Judge Tareyton’s eyes and he began to talk incoherently. “Doc Brashear went to Ophir this after- noon,” said McClung softly. ‘There ain’t a soul what can help him, Sarg.” “Oh, , don’t I know it?” groaned Skeeter. ‘‘He’s just a drunken old law- shark, McClung, but he’s my pardner. He’s the only one what cares a about me. That shot was for me, don’t yuh know it?” Skeeter looked back at the bed for a moment and then turned to McClung. “Friend, will yuh stay here with him for a little while? I dunno whether he’d like it or not, but I’m goin’ to get that preacher. They use preachers when folks are passin’ out, don’t they?” ‘They do when they can get ’em,” agreed McClung. Skeeter shifted his cartridge belt and pulled his hat down over his eves. ‘““Mebbe this one won’t want to come, but he’ll come if I have to cripple his legs and pack him here.” Skeeter hurried to the Porter shack, but there was no one at home. Skeeter had no way of telling what time it was, but he knew that the minister must be at the Panhandle and that it would be a man-sized job to hold conversation with him in that place. xX 2p SUNBEAM had started in early on ei its nightly orgy. The yellow lights from the saloons and gambling- houses threw shadows out of which weaved miner and cowboy as they made their way from place to place. The rasping notes from fiddles, the discordant jangle of out-of-tune piano, blended with the raucous whoops from alcoholized vocal cords. Skeeter Bill noticed that the larger crowd was at the Panhandle and he surmised that the sermon was the attraction. Straight to the doorway he went and squeezed his way inside. Luckily Skeeter was taller than most of the crowd, which gave him an almost unobstructed view of things. On the performer’s platform stood the minister, with Mary Leeds beside him. At the other end of the platform was the fiddler and piano player. Tug Leeds leaned against the piano, grinning at a half-nude dance-hall girl, who was just coming from GOMIIGooOo S C@