Adventure Magazine Cover — page 122: what you’re looking at

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

— — soft hat slipped from his face. Adventure “No danger after a week or so. Oro men are beginning to scatter. Folks in Denver aren’t interested in what happened in Cali- fornia Gulch. Perhaps your luck will turn by another season.” The Rabbit announced the breakfast was ready, and they joined him at the edge of the lake and close by the bank. They made a hearty meal of deer meat, bread and coffee. After he had eaten and had lighted a cigar, Goss’ mood improved. He began to ap- prove of their surroundings. “JT haven’t taken a holiday for a long time,” he remarked. “Tl sleep part of the day. Then we'll discuss plans for traveling down the valley.” ; Ellis’ face revealed his disappointment. “Of course you must sleep,” he agreed. “T was forgetting you were up all night.” “And you’re keen to be moving,”’ said the gambler, quick to read the tell-tale expres- sion. “Perhaps it’sas well. Ill snooze for a couple of hours. I’m used to being up nights. It’s my feet that bother the most.” “Goss, go back under the pines and sleep. The singing man will go with you to keep watch,” spoke up the Indian. “Some Utes have been out down the val- ley and stolen horses. They may be com- ing back this way. I'll scout around and hunt for signs.” 3 The hunter entered the timber, the white men at his heels. Goss threw himself down and drew his soft hat over his eyes. Al- most instantly he was. asleep. Ellis sat be- side him, his mind open to homesickness and despair, dully wondering when and where it would all end. He was pressed down by his failure more than by fear of California Gulch. Goss turned on his side and the Elis was secing laim for the first time with his dark features relaxed, and he was surprized to observe how youthful the gambler looked to be. It was disquieting, if not humiliating, to realize that one so little his senior could be so direct and masterful, so firmly en- trenched im determination. Ells had felt _ @ great fear of Charley Dodge. Goss had sought him and conquered him. Atlast Ellis rose and wandered through the growth to the lake where they had eaten. For some minutes he stood staring at the mitrored mountains, yet scarcely conscious Of beholding the inverted picture. Some gravel rattled down the bank and at first brought no significance to his mind. When he comprehended that something was alive on top of the barrier he conquered his im- _ pulse to glance up. Before him in the emerald water stretched the wall, separating by a fourth of a mile, the two lakes. As he stared he beheld a fringe of grotesque faces peering down at him. With a mighty effort he turned to the right, bringing his back to the barrier. ‘To walk slowly to the pines, to whistle softly as he advanced, was a fine test for his nerves. He fancied the savages were at his back, yet did not commit the fateful error of turning his head. He expected at each step to feel the bite of an arrow, or the benumbing shock of a bullet; yet he forced himself to whistle and proceed with measured steps. When he knew he was out of sight of the lake he bent low and ran softly over the brown floor. He reached Goss and shook him gently by the arm. The gambler was instantly awake and stretched his arms and yawned. and opened his mouth to speak, but Ellis lightly placed a hand over his lips and whispered: “Row of Indians along the high bank! Didn’t let on I saw them!” Goss came to his feet and clapped on his hat and felt for his two guns. Ellis’ rifle was on the ground. Pointing to it the gambler rolled his blankets and threw them over his shoulder and whispered: “They’ve come-down Lake Creek from the west. When you don’t show up they'll think you went toward the Arkansas. Our camp will tell them more than one man ate there. They’ll wait a bit for all of us to return. We'll pass them by making west in a wide circle.” “And the Rabbit?” “He ought to be able to look after him- self. Come!” They noiselessly threaded their way deeper into the growth and down into a gully. Striking into a game trail that ran west, they entered it and walked more rapidly. They passed beyond the upper lake without séeing it, and entered the nar- row rugged valley of Lake Creek where the stream brawled among huge boulders, and in one place passed under a natural bridge. “Forsaken looking spot!” Ellis exclaimed, his gaze hopelessly wandering from the floor of boulders to the well-defined water line four hundred feet up the mountain side Eomicbooks.co