Adventure Magazine Cover — page 118: what you’re looking at

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

II2 J’d seen men took with a fit before; and he was like that, only more so.” Girty frowned as if puzzled; I hoped the Yankee’s ambiguous speech was having a helpful effect. “One of the young men couldn’t resist shooting him,” I suggested. “It ain’t the Injun way,” he quietly reminded us. ‘Injuns have more respect for each other’s property then white men do for their neighbors’. I’ve lived among both. I know.” He spoke truthfully, and I could not con- tradict him. He. went on, as if summing up the facts: “Ogden was in my care. The whole vil- lage knew he come with a talk from Quain, who’s at Tarhe’s camp. The Shawnees like Quain. He’s lived with ’em a lot. Every one in this village knew Tarhe had given Ogden a road-belt that any Injun north the Ohio would respect. And Ogden’s shot down with a war-arrer after he’s given up his belt and was thinking himself perfectly safe in this village.” “It’s mighty queer,” I agreed, wishing he would abandon thesubject. ‘‘Couldn’t they find any trail among those trees?”’ The renegade shook his head; then ex- plained: “Ground’s baked hard. Children go there to play in the shade. Nary a sign. Whoever done it must ’a’ run up-river, but we can’t find out that any of the Injuns are missing. No one has seen any man sneak- ing up-river. None of the men gone from the village this morning. No man was seen sneaking back before daylight. Blue Jacket had thought of that and had a string of warriors stretched from the river clear to the woods all night, so’s to catch any one coming in. A fox couldn’t ’a’ got through that line. Blue Jacket can’t understand it.”’ “It’sa mystery,’ Irejoined. ‘The man’s dead. Some one killed him. Probably the Indian who did it ran around through the corn and got among the warriors during the first few minutes of excitement. You'll have to get another messenger.” ‘How would you like to carry my talk to Quain if the Snake will lend you to me?” he quickly asked. “Yd rather go to Detroit and have a talk with Colonel McKee, but I’ll do anything to help. Ill carry your talk.” He poked some more fuel under the boiling kettle and gruffly announced: Adventure “The runner’s on his way already.. Started early this morning. I got the Scotchman to add a line to your writing, telling how Ogden was killed. Think I had him mention you fellers by name.” His eyes were boring into me as he said the last, but I was keyed up to play the réle of innocence, and told him: “T never met Quain that I know of. That is, I don’t remember the name. I would have carried your talk if you had wanted me to. Don’t see why you mentioned it if you had already started a runner.”’ Girty’s lips parted in a grin, but there was no laughter in his eyes. ‘“Quain was in Wayne’s camp and was arrested,” he said, ignoring my words. ‘“They’re arresting men every day. If I saw him there he must have been under a different name. I was with the army only a few days before I quit.” “Probably didn’t know Ogden.” “Not by name. I knew mighty few by name. ButasI got a glimpse of him by the fire his face seemed familiar.”’ “He seemed to know you mighty well.” And again that stabbing, sinister glance. “He was drunk and trying to sing when I saw him in the firelight. His face looked familiar. The Indians were crowded around me so I couldn’t see very good.” “Never had any trouble with him?” “Not that I know of. There was a fight in Cincinnati when a crowd of us was drunk. He may have, been in it. If he hasn’t been buried I’d like to take a look at him.” “He’s under ground,” growled Girty. “From what he let out just before be- ing killed I don’t think he was a friend of yours.” ‘Soldier quarrels,’ I regretted. ‘Yet they seldom make bad blood after the fighting’s over. Must have been twenty or thirty piling into each other in Cincinnati. He and I may have had a tussle, or he and I may have been fighting off the crowd. A fellow can’t remember much about what happens when he has a day’s leave in Cin- cinnati. But so far as I know, nothing but white wampum ever hung between us if we did ever have any acquaintance.” Girty suddenly gave vent to his rage and. cried: “It’s a outrage that a man armed with a road-belt is killed in the village after coming through safe from the Sandusky! COmiclboolks (©