Adventure Magazine Cover, October 30, 1924 — page 57: what you’re looking at

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

south, West the city and procure a good mule—s/, it shall be done! Have you no other com- mands?P”’ ‘“‘None,”’ said Hampton, “except to make haste.” “This moment. amol”’ “Hasta luego,’ returned Hampton in- differently, and passed into the hotel. That last farewell, couched in the phrase used only by men of Indian blood, told him that the peon regarded him as a superior; still, since the spy supposed him to be stopping in the hotel, it was as well to carry on the game. Hampton stood talking for a few minutes with a group of New York men, then, convinced that the spy had departed, he left the place, crossed the plaza, and made all haste toward the Inn of the Golden Pomegranates. As he entered, old d’Aquila beckoned him into a corner. “Sefior, your friend has returned, and three other men are now in the room with him. My brother’s son is here, but in hiding.” “Send him to the room at once, then,”’ said Hampton. “It is quite safe.” He went on to the room, where he found Job Warlock, with Adam Johnson and two other men of the Beverly company. These three were vastly different from the emaci- ated skeletons of the afternoon; fed and clothed, shaved and cleaned, they were more like themselves, and they wrung Hampton’s hand with fervent expressions of gratitude. “And, Dick, here’s a little present from all of us,” said Adam Johnson, holding up a rifle. ‘It’s one of the best we could find in town—we want you to know how we feel about everything; we’re all mighty sorry for the past, Dick, and we’d like you to have this rifle as a sort of testimonial from the whole company, or what’s left of it. We didn’t have time to get it engraved, but it’s said to be a fine weapon = Hampton examined the silver-mounted rifle, a fine specimen of English workman- ship, and accepted it without demur, more than grateful for the feelings which in- spired the gift. At this moment the door .opened, and El] Hambre stepped into the room with a grave salutation. When Hampton had introduced the Indian, he proceeded straight to business. El Hambre produced the knife with the Va usted con Dios, senor and North 47 silver hilt, which Adam Johnson and the other. two men at once recognized, and re- © lated how on two occasions he had seen it in the possession of Dias. He also told something of what he knew about Dias. ‘“‘Now, gentlemen,” said Hampton, “it might be easy to think that I had inspired this testimony; but taking it along with what you already know of Day ——”’ ‘“‘Nonsense, Mr. Hampton!” one of the other men broke in warmly. ‘We’ve Varned enough about that skunk Day, you’d better believe—lord knows what he’s done to the rest of the company! So it was him killed poor Jed Barnes, eh?” “Tt was,” said Hampton. ‘Because he was afraid of me—he had learned that I was after him—he had me set adrift. I didn’t know he was my man, you see. Had a letter from my brother Eli about a chap named Winslow or Dias, and like a fool I blurted it out to James Day, who was the very man. Well, there you are! It’s evident enough to me that he slipped into Jed Barnes’ cabin te ‘Say no more, sir,” exclaimed Adam Johnson, who knew enough Spanish to have followed the testimony of El Hambre. “We shall take upon ourselves to clear your name at home, be sure of that. Some of us are going home, a few of us are going to California. If you suspect that Miss Barnes and the officers of the company will meet foul play at the hands of Day, we shall be glad to follow you " “You can’t do it, Johnson,” said Hamp- ton. ‘“Thanks for the offer, but it’s im- possible. Three of us can get through where more would fail. I expect to be out of Panama by daybreak, but don’t breathe it toa soul. Day has men here, and I only avoided arrest tonight by a bit of luck— they’re after me. If you'll clear up this murder charge at home, I’ll feel amply repaid for the little I’ve done.”’ “Depend on us for that,” said Johnson, and presently got his two companions away. Left alone, the three men regarded one another, then Job Warlock grinned. “‘What’s this about arrest, matey?”’ Hampton produced the bone tablet and handed it to El Hambre. The Indian started, and his dark eyes swept up in tacit questioning. “‘The lady saved us after all, Job,”’ said Hampton, and proceeded to tell El] Hambre micloool © inn