Adventure Magazine Cover, October 30, 1924 — page 84: what you’re looking at

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

74 Adventure the very hearts frozen within them by the awiul outburst of shrieks. A shot burst through that tumult, and another, but the voices only swelled up louder. “Back, everybody!” cried Hampton sud- denly. ‘It’s the slaves—they’re loose. No telling what may happen—back to cover, men!” He tried to get Nelly Barnes back toward the rocks, but a low cry broke from her, and her arm swept up. Hampton followed that pointing gesture, and then swung the girl aside that she might see no more. A low oath burst from him, was echoed from those around. Into sight on the narrow trail came two of the Chinamen, and at their heels was a great wave of half-naked men— the Mexican slaves from below, now become wild and ravening beasts. They dragged down the two yellow men, poured over them, then suddenly the wave split asunder at another burst of shots. There in the midst of them all stood Dofia Hermana, distinct in the white sunlight; she was bare-headed, her hair flying wildly, the clothes half-stripped from her body, a revolver in her hand. It spoke again—then the wave rolled upon her. From the _ peons hoarse and frightful yell; their bestial, foaming faces closed in upon the woman, their claws tore at her and tore again. She stood an instant under that wave, her white shoulders leaping into scarlet streaks—then she disappeared, and the crested billow of men rolled above her, the stabbing shriek of her voice piercing once or twice through the horrible screaming exultancy of those human wolves. Mad oaths burst from the white men. Rifles swept up, revolvers began to crack. Bullets thudded into that writhing mass of humanity and shredded it apart. The blind screams of rage and fury became fran- tic yells of fear— the peons fell away, thinned out, turned and vanished down the trail again, leaving a red heap behind them. Job Warlock ran forward to look at that heap, but presently he came back again in ghastly pallor. He mutely shook his head, swept up that: wiped the sweat from his face and collapsed on a boulder, staring at the ground. ‘Well, well,’ said Adam Johnson ner- vously, ‘IT don’t know what ‘3 “Don’t worry about it,” spoke up Eli. “That was Dofia Hermana—the wife of Dias. I guess those peons sort of evened things up. Now what, Adam? You fel- lers goin’ down below?” “T’ll have to,’’ said Adam Johnson with a grimace. ‘‘All’sclear at the harbor, Hamp- ton; you might go that way with Miss Nelly. Here, two o’ you boys come with me, the rest of you go along to the harbor. Make sure o’ those schooners. See you later, Hampton.” He strode away down the trail, two of the Beverly men at his heels. Job Warlock came to his feet and looked at Hampton. ‘The world’s a good place, so hurray!’’ he exclaimed, though soberly enough. “Well, what are we waitin’ for? Looks like all our friends are goin’ on to San Francisco, Dick. What course are you and me goin’ to set?”’ Hampton smiled. He met Eli’s beaming face, then turned and nodded to the eager gaze of the girl at his side. “Which way, Nelly? Together?” “Always together, Dick!’ She smiled as her fingers gripped his. ‘‘Always to- gether ie “Set the course for ’Frisco, Job!” said Hampton. Job Warlock touched his forelock. ‘Aye, aye, sir! North it is, once out o’ this gulf—it’s a far ways to them Bluenose ships, but Injun does it—aye, sir, north it 1s. Come along, all hands!” Hampton, tucking Nelly’s arm in his, turned with the others to the harbor trail. Then, as though in presage of the future, from the arroyo below rang up the slow- lilting, sharply accented air of ‘Susannah,’ roared out by a score and more of exultant New England voices: “‘Oh, Sacramento, That’s the place for me! Our troubles all are over And in ’Frisco soon we'll be!”’ comicbooks.cO inn