Adventure Magazine, December 10, 1924 — page 121: what you’re looking at

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

The | Homesteaders The cartridges did not contain the primer. The flash entered through a tiny hole in the center of the head. For a few minutes Murray nearly forgot their peril in studying out what was a new gun to him. Then he tipped up the barrel, inserted a cartridge and placed a cap. ‘“‘They never rode after him or they’d have seen him drop and have taken his. scalp and this gun,” he explained as he took over his horse and led the way to the house. “Give me the revolver, please,’ she re- minded him. “Can you shoot one?” “TI can at least shoot myself if it’s neces- sary,” she replied in a low, determined voice. “Lord! But you’ve got all sorts of cour- age, Miss Elizabeth!’ he involuntarily com- plimented her. . In a vague fashion he was trying to recon- cile the dainty bonnet and pretty dress with such a resolute spirit. “‘There’s times when it isn’t a bit hard to die,” she muttered. “TI think I’d rather die than to see again what I’ve already seen, even if no harm could come to me.” He feared she was about to break down under the strain, but a glance at the frown- ing face, very pale in the early light, told him she would not weaken even though their path led them to and through the gates of death. He gave her the heavy revolver and halted a short distance from the house. “T’m sure it’s empty,” he told her; ‘but you’d better mount and be ready to ride if a Sioux should happen to be hiding and waiting inside.” ““Go ahead! Be careful!” she told him in a jerky voice. But when he reached the door and glanced back he found she had drawn close and was holding the revolver in two hands and covering the one window. With the carbine ready he stepped into the darkened room. Nothing alive was there. Then he stared sharply into the dark corners, fearing to find new horrors. With a deep breath of relief he found no appearance of the house having been occu- pied for a long time. There were no furnishings. The roof was partly broken and sagged low at the back end. The door hung by one leather hinge. Murray’s expression was rather dubious as he stepped to the door. 99 “Don’t know as it’s any better than the open,” he reported. _ “‘There’s something in the willows. May- be a cornhouse,” she told him. ‘Best take a look at that.” He had not noticed the low, squat struc- ture, almost concealed by the drooping branches. . He'ran to it and soon had in- vestigated it. When he came back he said: “Tt’s queer. It’s a horse shed, and it’s been used often and recently. In rainy weather there’s a bit of creek that furnishes water. Dry now.” ‘“‘Then the house has been used,’ she quickly insisted. ‘“Let’s put the horses in the shed and look closer inside the house.” They secured the horses under cover and returned to the ruin of a house. If men halted long enough to put up their horses they must have used the house or slept in the open. Neither of the refugees believed the latter. And yet there was not a single cooking utensil except an ancient frying pan heavily coated with rust. Nor were there blankets, nor broken bits of food. “T give it up,” surrendered Murray. “Several men have been here lately, coming separately or together. They stayed long enough to house their horses, but there isn’t even any crumbs or fresh ashes in the fireplace to show they took to shelter them- selves.” The girl’s gaze wandered to the fireplace as he spoke; then became fixed on the rough slab floor in front of the hearth. She pointed and said— “Try to lift that short piece of board.” “But there’s no cellar,” he told her. “Look through any of these holes. Ground a few inches underneath.” And he indicated several places whéte- the slabs had rotted away or had been broken through. “That patch of floor looks different,” she insisted. ‘Looks newer.” Murray agreed to this. He requested her to watch for Indians from the window, and while she did so he managed to work a short slab loose. As he removed it he was sur- prized to find a black hole. Thrusting down his arm, his fingers found the handle of a jug. Feeling about, he found other jugs. All were filled. Further investigation soon revealed that the cavity extended into the chimney foundation. Practically under the hearthstone was a large keg. 3 cComiclbhook (© 5}