Adventure Magazine Cover — page 143: what you’re looking at

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

to suppose that a road leads to some- thing. I hope we will eventually arrive at some place where a physician resides.” We climbed in, and Middleton took charge of the lines. It was much better than walking, although neither of us could occupy the seat. All went well until we came to a steep hill, where the horses seemed unable to check the speed of the wagon. I spoke sharply to Middleton about our speed, and he rudely replied: “Oh, go to ! If you’re going to be a shepherd, be a regular one—dang it!’ I fear that Middleton would soon acquire a profane vocabulary. Somehow we seemed to lose the road. I spoke to Middleton about it, thinking he did not know, and he shouted in my ear—. “Go get it if you want it—you danged pelican!” | I pondered over his apparent rudeness, and the next instant the team seemed to be taking us straight over a sharp pitch, the wagon swaying sharply as it crashed over rocks and brush. I caught a glimpse of the bottom of another abandoned water-course, and then, with a lurching crash, A was hurled into oblivion. ‘I DREAMED of lying under a plashing fountain, and as I opened my eyes [ looked up at Dirty Shirt, who was pouring water into my face from his large hat. I heard Ike’s voice say: “This old pelican ain’t dead, Dirty. He just spat out another tooth.” “Say, professor, when did you take a job driving a sheep-wagon?” asked Dirty Shirt. “Middleton was driving,” I whispered. My voice was strangely weak. ““Well—” Dirty Shirt scratched his head and peered across the hills—‘“‘well, as a driver he’s got more intestines than judg- ment. He sure is the short-cut kid.” After a while Middleton sat up and essayedagrin. Several of hisfront teeth were missing, which gave him a leering look. The wagon had smashed to kindling-wood, but they told us that the team escaped serious injury. Dirty Shirt and Ike told us to take it easy while they rounded up the team, which we tried to do. My gun was in the wreckage, but be- _ yond a deep dent in the barrel it was in Be = shape. There were still: four = 7 . "Shepherds ar Science cartridges in it, and I managed to manipu- late one into the firing-chamber. It is well to be prepared. _ Middleton had acquired a pronounced lisp, caused, no doubt, by the missing teeth. Suddenly we saw a man on horse- back coming down toward us. Ordinarily I would have paid little heed to him, but we were becoming chary of strangers. I stood up and threw my gun to my shoulder. “What in is the idea?” he asked, halting. “Put down that gun!” “Thoot him!” lisped Middleton. him if he cometh too cloth.” “Have a little sense and put down that gun,” said the man. “Don’t let him ditharm your thuth- *““Thoot pithions,’’ warned Middleton. “Go back!” I ordered. “You are in danger.” : ’s delight!’ he exclaimed. “There must ’a’ been a break in the loco-lodge.”’ And we watched him ride back to the top of the hill. “Nithe generalthip,”’ applauded Middle- ton. “Look—thomebody elthe.” Another rider had joined him, and they both came riding down to us. “T shall be compelled to fire upon you if you come too close,’ I warned them. ‘“Thoot out of them-if they monkey with uth,” said Middleton. The new one was very tall and grim- looking, with long mustaches and a very large hat. He appeared to uncoil a long rope, and then showed his teeth in a snarl- ing grin. “Going to shoot that thing, honibee?’? he asked, and I nodded emphatically. “You know best,” he answered. ‘Get all set, ’cause I’m coming to get you!” He spurred his horse forward and side- wise, and just then I fired. I felt that I had wasted the shot, for I pointed where le had been. A terrific force seemed to crash into me, my lungs filled with smoke, and somewhere in my consciousness [I seemed to hear a deafening explosion. Then I seemed to feel myself bouncing and sliding over the ground, only to stop with a grinding shock. A still, small voice within me seemed to say: , “Pettingill, your sands of time are run- ring low. A human being can stand only so much, and you’ve had your share.” And then I came back to life. I heard