Adventure Magazine Cover, June 20, 1925 — page 121: what you’re looking at

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

Pards youa mule. You're leaving your money to warrantee return of the critter. Ain’t I indP” He burst into mighty cachinations. Sud- denly he ceased his ferocious laughing and tore a limb from the fallen tree and savagely struck Ellis several times over the head and shoulders. The mule jumped and kicked. Driving the animal from the corral Leaper headed him up the gulch and belabored him with the bough and sent him galloping madly among and over the rocks. CHAPTER VI DIFFERENT DANGERS UP THE gulch raced the mule. Ellis yelled in fear. The first bend took mount and rider out of sight of Leaper and the cabin. The mule suddenly forgot the blows and turned abruptly at right angles and clambered like a mountain sheep up the rough slope to a little shelf of grass and fell to grazing. Only the thong tied to his ankles kept Ellis from leaving the saddle when the mule shifted his course. As it was, he lurched far to one side and felt as if he was broken in two at the waist. Only by the greatest effort did he regain an upright position. Absolutely helpless, Ellis surrendered to fate and dully waited for the mule to cease grazing and kill him by toppling over some declivity, or by dragging him to death after causing the saddle to slp and roll. When the mule lifted his head and pricked his long ears and looked at the rocks above the grass- plot Ellis believed Leaper had followed to finish him. He beheld a battered hat slowly rising above a boulder, then a face, a face wearing a scrubby beard. “Thank God!’ weakly cried Ellis, scarcely daring to believe his eyes. ‘Hi! Come here and cut me loose.”’ The stranger placed a finger to his lips and studied the rough course of the gulch forafew moments. Then he emerged from behind the boulder and scrambled down to the shelf. He had a ragged blanket and a battered coffee-pot strapped on his back; and his boots were broken, exposing his toes. He was a thoroughly disreputable appear- ing man, one of the many derelicts ever drifting about the camps. But he was beautiful to Ellis. The mule, however, did not fancy the newcomer, or 103 else feared a return to the rocky corral. With a flirt of his heels he plunged headlong down the slope, nearly breaking the rider’s back. The ragged man followed. The mule headed up the gulch and slowed to a walk and jerked his head from side to side . in search for another grazing ground. The stranger clumped after him, gradually gaining ground. When almost’ within reach, the mule discovered him and was off at a bouncing gallop. The man pulled a revolver from his boot and, still walking, followed. Satisfied with his lead the mule walked sedately. Ellis looked back despairingly, and feared the stranger would tire of his helpful purpose. Beholding the revolver Ellis begged— “Shoot! Vl risk anything.” The man waved his hand and from under his ragged coat produced a small coil of rope and made a noose in one end. Then he swung off to one side and climbed above the | floor of the gulch and pressed on, sometimes in sight and often hid by boulders. When abreast of the mule he disappeared. The mule continued at a walk for a few rods, then broke into a trot and headed for a patch of grass. There was no sign of the stranger and Ellis decided he had given up the chase. The mule halted and grazed greedily. A shrill whistle caused Ellis to start ner- vously and brought the mule’s head up with a jerk: and from a near-by rock shot the noosed rope and encircled the brute’s neck. Madly excited and wildly exultant Ellis sounded a sharp yell. But the battle was not won. The mule jumped and backed violently, crushing Ellis’ legs against boul- ders and all but killing him before the in- sistence of the noose won the fight. When the mule fell to his knees Ellis stumped for- ward on his neck like a bag of meal; nor could he straighten up. The man closed in by shortening the rope, and Ellis glimpsed a knife in his left hand. The mule made a final effort and went back on his knees. “Slide off! commanded the stranger. “Your feet are free.” Ellis’ feet and legs were numb and he had not known when the thong was severed. He threw himself to one side and rolled to the groynd. The man kept the rope taut and ordered him to get clear of the mad~ dened brute. With no sense of feeling in his legs and with his hands tied at his back, COMIGDIOOKSEEO