Adventure Magazine Cover, October 30, 1924 — page 47: what you’re looking at

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

south, West and North 37 afraid of her, Sefior Ricardo, and that is one very good reason why we should not go there.”’ Hampton lIcoked at the man, met the glittering eyes, and his lips set ominously. Then, after a moment, he spoke—— “We are going.” “Bueno.” The Indian shrugged and smiled. “Yo también.” _ “And I also,” repeated Job Warlock, grinning. ‘All three together, and —— the odds! Eh, matey! But I think that, instead of finishing our job, we have only begun it!” E] Hambre, who was still fingering that knife with the silver haft, ran his thumb along the razor-keen blade. “TI would give much for a knife such as this,’ he murmured. “Keep it,’ said Hampton indifferently, “but be sure to bring it to the city with you tomorrow night!’ The Indian uttered his harsh laugh. “Good! Good!” he exclaimed. ‘There will be men with the Dofia Hermana. Yellow men!” Job Warlock grinned understandingly, but Hampton was slow to catch the implication. It VEN HAVING made a start with dawn, (eas three hours of hard travel by jungle = and hill trails saw the three com- panions within five miles of Panama City. Passing the Mendoza y Mueges hacienda, they emerged upon a very fair carriage road which, as El Hambre informed the other two, joined the Chagres-Panama high- way two miles from the latter city, and which would be practically deserted. The hour was too late for peons to be going to town with produce, and too early for the average city dweller to be outward bound. “Here I leave you, sefiores,” said the Indian gravely. ‘Where do we meet tonight?” ‘“‘That is for you to say,” returned Hamp- ton. “Very well. Go to the inn of the Golden Pomegranates, in the Calle de los Her- manos, and ask for the owner, Juan d’Aqui- la. He is my father’s brother; say that you come from me. I'll meet you there at nine tonight.” ‘‘Agreed,” said Hampton. nochel”’ “Hasta la “Until tonight,” repeated El Hambre, and was gone among the green foliage. Hampton and Warlock struck out to- gether along the road, which wound appar- ently through open jungle, though at times patches of cleared and cultivated land ap- peared beyond the bordering trees and vines, and twice they passed imposing haciendas. They had _ evidently been brought into one of the fertile vales which supplied the ancient richness of Panama. “Looks to me,” observed Warlock, ‘“‘as if we’d better raise an army before we go after Dias! Either that oranavy. What’s your idea, anyhow?” “You and I and El] Hambre can do more than any army,” responded Hampton. ‘‘All three of us together and —— the odds! Hello—squally weather ahead From a bend in the road just ahead, masked by trees, rose a shrill yell, followed by the roar of a gun. Then, almost upon them, dashed into sight a carriage drawn by two plunging horses. Another shot smashed out, and one of the horses pitched forward, bringing down the second and flinging a groom to the road, where he lay senseless. In the halted carriage appeared a@ woman, whose bnght gown and gay parasol made a brilliant splotch of color. As the two men stood staring, a group of figures broke into sight, running at the carriage; there was a flash of knives, and a yell shrilled up. “Hold-up,” exclaimed Job Warlock, snatching at his revolver. Hampton’s weapon was already out, and he fired twice. The carriage was not twen- ty feet distant; the bandits, half a dozen ragged peons, were checked by the sight of two strangers, and one of them fell to Hampton’s shots. An escopeta roared, and the slugs whistled overhead, as Warlock’s weapon cracked—but instead of breaking, the bandits yelled and leaped forward, thinking that they had to deal with pistols now discharged and empty. When Hampton dropped the leader, and Warlock winged another, cries of dis- may burst from the remaining men, and next instant they scattered and were gone into the jungle, leaving a wounded comrade to drag himself after them, and two bodies sprawled grotesquely in the sunlit road. Warlock sprang to the reins of the unhurt horse, which was on his feet plunging in mad fright, while Hampton, removing his wide comiclbooks.cO Al