Adventure Magazine Cover — page 140: what you’re looking at

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

138 “We can protect ourselves,” assured Goss with a whimsical smile. “And if we get in a tight place Euclid can use his cold, dry process. Quicker you start the quicker you'll find some grub. Get along. Don’t sing any. Good luck till we meet at the Broadwell House. You ought to find Whip King there.” Loath to leave them, yet believing he was in danger until far from California Gulch, Ellis shook hands, caught his horse and rode for the Arkansas. By the time he was out of sight of his friends he was planning to avoid the risk of being identified. A ride of a mile and a quarter brought him to the mile and a half wide valley of the Arkansas, with the river hugging the eastern side. Keeping watch behind him to make sure no party of miners from California Gulch was at his heels, he rode down the valley for two miles and dismounted. Then he led his horse off the road—the same course taken by Fremont in 1845—and climbed a rocky hillock. From this elevation he discovered several men riding from the north. He led his horse farther from the road to a spot hidden from passers-by and nervously waited until the men, five in number, had passed. Not daring to travel close behind them he fastened his horse and threw himself on the ground to sleep. The sun was low when he opened his eyes. He knew he was within a mile of where Tabor discovered gold in 1860. When he came up the valley in the spring a few miners were there, striving to Overcome the black sand. He decided it was safer to pass this place in the even- ing. Although he had taken a nap at the upper lake and had slept again within gun-shot of the road, he found his eyes heavy as he sat with his back to a boulder and waited for the sun to cease balancing on the crest of the Sawatch Range. Fighting against the per- sistent desire to sleep, he waited until after Sunset and then renewed his journey. He had not covered half a mile before he caught himself dozing. Alarmed lest he fall off his horse while asleep, he welcomed a hut on the right of the road. At first sight he had taken it for a pile of logs, but a second inspection revealed it to be a habitation. He slipped from his horse and approached the low entrance and called Adventure out. There was. no response.~ Finding a rope behind the shack he secured his horse in a patch of thin grass and entered the hut. It was empty, but a kettle of beans and pork were on the coals of a rude fireplace and blankets were spread on a pile of boughs at once side. The law of the road entitled him to shelter and food and he ate greedily from the kettle; and reckless to the danger of being recognized as the Singing Pilgrim, he threw himself on the low bed and almost at once was asleep. The sound of low voices greeted him when he opened his eyes. There was a light in the low room. Through narrowed lids he saw two men sitting at a box before the fire- place. They had been eating and were now lighting their pipes. The first speech his ears managed to catch made him afraid, for one of the men was saying: “T tell you it’s one of the hosses that was stole down the valley. They blamed it on to Injuns.” “But how did he come along here if he took it?’ persisted the second man, whose face was round and full like a moon. “Never mind how he come here. He has the hoss. Probably got turned around in trying to get away from the valley road.” “Queer he ain’t got a gun,” mused the round-faced man. “Queer he has nearly two hundred dollars on him. Why should an honest man be hungry if he’s riding his own hoss and has that much money?” “T dunno. I still hold Injuns ran off the hosses. That’s the word sent up the val- ley. That Utes ran off the hosses,” in- sisted the round-faced man. ‘“‘And I believe he’s one of the gang that’s been stealing hosses up and down the valley for a year or more. If he’s honest he won’t be hurt. You stick here to hold him if he wakes up. I'll fetch some of the boys from below.” The suspicious man rose to his feet, his cowhide boots making much noise. He was tall and gaunt, and had to walk bowed over to escape the low roof. The second man remained seated, his fat face worried. After the man had disappeared into the darkness the guard cocked his head for a few moments; then said in a low voice: “Better not hold your breath any longer, young feller. You'll bust.” (TO BE CONTINUED) Gomichbooks.co