Adventure Magazine Cover, October 30, 1924 — page 78: what you’re looking at

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

68 raised his revolver and fired; then, strug- gling under his load, he climbed from the window, caught up the dead guard’s rifle, and emptied it in the direction of the corrals. The alarm was given. V J a HAMPTON remained beneath the may pepper tree, adjusting his loads and coolly awaiting the moment to complete his work. His view of the lower valley was cut off, but the absence of any shots and the sharp repetition of voices told that the guards were centering all attention on himself. From the buildings across the creek came shriller voices and bobbing lights; from inside the house of Dias arose ques- tioning calls and shouted demands. The flames in the room mounted higher and gained foothold on the ceiling. Now from the servants’ quarters came lanterns and running men, Chinese by their voices, pouring toward the house of the master. In the other direction, the or- chard resounded with trampling feet and low cries as the Yaqui guards came hasten- ing up from the barracks. Hampton, lost to sight in the blackness beneath the wide tree, saw the groups of men approach in the clear starlight, questing what was wrong, aiming at the ruddy light of the window. They found what was amiss when Hamp- ton’s revolvers began to speak. He fired deliberately, coolly, emptying his weapons with deadly effect, while the Chinese shrieked in wild consternation and the Yaqui guards cursed as the bullets struck them down. Rifles began to make re- sponse. Hampton left his position and slipped across to the shadow of the fruit- trees that ranged the creek, and started for the lower valley. Behind him was pandemonium. Flames were spouting in air, men were shooting blindly, and above the din of voices rose the stentor-blast of Dias. Hampton, not paus- ing to reload his heavy revolvers, made his way along the creek, turned the cafion el- bow, and after one last glance at the ruddy glare behind, hastened on his way. From all quarters of this lower valley the guards were hurriedly converging upon the scene of alarm, their shouts ringing near and far. Hampton plunged into the creek, which Adventure _ was only waist-high here, and crossed to the far side, where there was a trail. He had barely come into this, when he discerned a tall figure coming toward him, and a voice leaped at him fercely: “Where are you going? What is the matter up yonder?”’ Hampton recognized Ramon, and laughed softly. “Do you not know your friends at night, Ramon?” he demanded. “Who are your’ demanded the tall Yaqui, coming up to him. “T am the gringo, and pay my debt thus,” rejoined Hampton, and struck out with the heavy Colt. The front sight lashed Ramon across the eyes and face, cutting deep and sending the blood spurting, drawing a cry of startled anguish from the Yaqui, Instantly Hamp- ton struck again, this time across the fore- head, and again the. weapon went dcep. Dazed and staggered by those blows, blinded by the blood, Ramon snarled like a wolf and whipped out his knife—but a third time the heavy iron smote him, and under the blow the facial bones crunched and gave. He took a step. backward, then whimpered and fell groping in the dust, and writhed there, a crushed and blinded thing. “Remember the gringo now, you dog,”’ said Hampton, and'went on his way again. He was not sure.where to find the trail that ascended to the desert, but presently, from the dark cafion wall, heard a shot anda wild yell; then a burst of shouts went up, and he caught Eli’s voice. Instantly he lifted a ringing shout, which Eli answered, and in five minutes Hampton had located the trail and found himself greeted by Pap Hoskins. “That you, Hampton? Eli’s on above with the gal. We got the trail—I’m stay- in’ here to hold it a spell. We got rifles and a heap o’ shootin’ supplies. What’s burnin’ yonder?”’ “The house of Dias,”’ said Hampton, and Hoskins uttered a howl of joy. Pushing on up the trail, Hampton stumbled over a dead Yaqui and presently caught up with Eli and Nelly, who greeted him with a cry of delight. The mounting trail gave them plainer view of the growing conflagration up the canon, and Hampton briefly related what he had done. ‘“We might have a chance to fight through to the schooner, had it not been for the micloool © inn