Adventure Trails, February 1929 — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

a “] have seen this Scorpion,” cut in the taller Mexican sharply. “I have seen him, = and felt his power, and I tell you—” instinctively he lowered his voice, and his “Black eyes flashed around as though he _ half expected to see the dreaded face of x him of whom he spoke—“this Scorpion is 4 ia more than man. 4 “The Scorpion is a devil from the pit, = ag) friend! I have seen. I know!” V Tep Evens THE SCORE HAT night Ted told his partner the whole story, and Scotty listened with a serious frown on his usually smooth brow. “Tt looks as though the chief had made no mistake, Ted,” he said slowly, when Ted had finished. “Tt sure does. And to think, Scotty, that I nearly sent Wilson back with a refusal to look into the matter. That shows how dull an old dog’s nose becomes, doesn’t it? Think how quick I used to be to scent trouble!” “We all make mistakes,” consoled Scotty. “But the beautiful irony of the other outfit forcing you at the point of a gun to get on their trail—that’s what tickles me. Who do you suppose that little Mexican dude with the blue eyes is? I never saw or heard of him before, did you?” Ted shook his head. “Whoever he is, though, he must be quite a power, somehow. You ought-to have seen those murdering greasers fall back when he strode up, there in the - cantina. You’d have thought he was the lord of creation!” “And this Scorpion business. What do you make of that?” asked Scotty. dently he’s the ringleader of the thing.” “Tt don’t know what to think,” replied Ted thoughtfully. “I'll give whoever’s back of it credit for picking_a name that eS would appeal to these ignorant cusses, eo though. They know their natives, all “Pil admit I can’t figure it out yet. But “Fvi- | ADVENTURE TRAILS the chief said the center of things was right in his district. And the chief gen- erally knows what he’s talking about. That being so, I promise you I'll know the secret of the matter before many moons, or dine off my new sombrer “What’s your first move?” “To get on the scene of action. That’s” always been our plan, Scotty, and I don’t see why it isn’t the best one here.” “Where do you figure the scene of ac- tion is?” . “Somewhere in the Devil’s Playground country, near the Twin Peaks. That’s the most likely territory, I’d say. There couldn’t be a much better hiding place. What do you think?” “That sounds about right,” nodded Scotty thoughtfully. “I’m starting to-morrow at sunup to look over the Playgrounds, anyway,” an- swered Ted grimly. Noon the next day found Ted high up on one of the peaks of the Twins. Spread out below him he could see the rocky, tumultuous badlands known as the Devil’s Playground, but there was no visible sign | of life. “Still, I don’t think I am far off the trail,” mused Ted, rolling himself a ciga- rette. He had just picketed his horse, and was getting ready to prepare his lunch. . “T’ve passed four greasers to-day, all tough-looking characters, armed to the teeth, and all headed in this general direc- tion. It’s dollars to doughnuts they are mixed up in this affair somehow. Four men, all headed the same way, are too many to meet on a trail like this in one forenoon, unless something is in the air. One a day would be a high average. The headquarters of this outfit must be around here somewhere, and with a little quiet scouting around I ought to loeate it with- out difficulty.” ED had just finished his meal when he became conscious of somebody or something behind him. A shadow fell across his shoulder as he wheeled. “It is me again, gringo!” remarked a familiar voice, and Ted turned to look S (C@ ~ og = a at ae ; ‘2 = Ss (S@)