Adventure Magazine Cover — page 171: what you’re looking at

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

Direct Methods There is an unconscious respect and curiosity engendered in even the most un- emotional person by any man who is noted—or notorious. A great criminal, a great artist, a champion chess-player, the survivor of a widely heralded accident—any- thing unusual draws its meed of attention. Hayden, without the benefit of his reputa- tion, was an arresting man. repaid study. “T am very sorry, colonel, but we have but little food here—scarcely enough for our pasty. I will have some one guide you down to Elm Hill, where you will be more comfortable,” Hayden said at length. “We have a little food in the ship. It’s getting late, and we'll just sleep out here under the wings,” returned Graves quietly. Suddenly a devil peered forth from Hay- den’s eyes. The softness was gone, and savagery was there instead. Graves looked into that queerly demoniac face without emotion. Apparently he did not feel the sudden tenseness that had every one in its grip. All felt the battle of wills going on there—that there was something underneath which did not appear on the surface. “T think [ll turn the ship around and . head it into the wind,” came Broughton’s quiet voice. It broke the tension. Broughton and Hinkley. “T think it would be best. We’ll give you a hand on the wing—it’s a narrow place to turn in,” he remarked casually. Hinkley primed both motors from under- neath, and Broughton got into the cockpit. As soon as the motors were running Hinkley and Graves set themselves against the left wing. With the right motor full on they succeeded in turning the ship until it was headed down the slope, pointing toward one corner. “Tf you don’t turn ’em into the wind the controls are liable to get flapping,” Hinkley explained to all and sundry. “With a smaller ship, wind sometimes turns ‘em over, getting under the wing, too.” Larry was wondering whether Broughton was planning to try a take-off. It looked like suicide to him, but Broughton was the doctor, Hinkley shrugged his shoulders at his thoughts, and then looked goodnaturedly at the lowering faces about him. He was enjoying himself. Without another word Hayden walked Graves turned to With it, he 165 toward the cabin. The others followed slowly. “T’ll be back in a moment,” announced the fat man. “If there’s anything you need " “Nothing, thank you,” returned Graves. “We are as welcome as rain at a picnic,” remarked Hinkley after the man had got out of earshot. “Just about,” agreed Graves as Brough- ton returned. ‘‘To tell you the truth, I expected that we would get away with things a lot better than we seem to be doing. Those three well dressed men are undoubtedly some of the higher-ups in Hayden’s organ- ization—the man that went after him is Somers. He is the only one I know. Somers served ten years in jail for killing a man when he was a radical leader. It was a strike affair. His specialty used to be salted mines and that sort of stuff—he’s a rough customer who can take care of himself. I’m surprized to see him all dressed up out here—if he’s working the city end of Hay- den’s scheme he’s rather out of his element. We believe he’s the actual leader on the robberies themselves. That little Jew, Meyer, is the only other man known to me personally. He’s a New York gangster— good with a gun.” “How do things look to you?” inquired Broughton. “The whole bunch is too suspicious,” Graves returned unemotionally. “Part of this gang are simply down here for a visit, I imagine, to consult with Hayden. He isn’t taking. a chance on getting within miles of a big city policeman. I imagine that most of the men who do the actual robbing are here, too, hiding out until the next one is pulled. Probably the prosperous-looking men are the birds who help get rid of the securities Hayden gets hold of.” There was silence for a moment. Staves paced up and down slowly, his head bent in thought. “T’m going up to the cabin on the excuse of getting some water to see what I can see. We’ve got to work fast, I can see that. Hayden is audacious and brilliant, and sus- picion is enough for this gang to work on.” “The old boy seems to amount to some- thing, all right,’’ was Hinkley’s tribute. “He is a wonderful man. If he did not have that perverted twist in him, he might be almost anything. I would suggest that one of you fool around with this supposedly CORDICLOO S (C@