Adventure Magazine Cover — page 97: what you’re looking at

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

a ae yx *Fesate e = a ~ ne bm —s i — > ses of the shack. From the fire came a medley of curses, laughter and snatches of song, as the gang ate, drank and gambled. Uncle Dick seized his revolver by the barrel and held it asa club. The man was now at the window and standing on a fragment of rock. The light inside vanished. By tak- ing two steps ahead the mountaineer could have felled the outlaw. . “Now Ill hear what you have to say about getting me out of here,’’ came the girl’s low voice. “Ye know somethin’ I want to know. Tell me that an’ I’ll snake ye clear an’ put ye back on top of Raton Pass. Will ye trade?”’ “What do you want to know?” ‘Where did ye pick up them two little gold nuggets?” The query. came in a whisper and it revealed the feverish avarice of the man’s soul. elve alredaly been asked that by your leader. He promised to set me free if I'd tell him,” was the weary answer. ‘|? exploded the outlaw under his breath. “So he’s huntin’ the trail already. Listen to me! He’s crooked. I’m bad, but I play straight when I give my word. ’ He never plans to keep his word. Ye can’t trust him. Tell me now an’ I’ll fetch two hosses an’ pretend I’m goin’ to relieve the guard. The gang’s busy with the cards an’ the bottle. At th’ mouth of th cafion I'll give the word an’, afore they know it, we'll be outside an’ ridin’ for Raton Pass. Afore mornin’ I’ll have ye back home with that old sucker at the toll-gate.” Uncle Dick gritted his teeth at this con-/ temptuous characterization and his fingers itched to swing the clubbed revolver against the fellow’s skull. The girl was saying: “Tt’s no use. Your leader knows I’ve forgot where or how I found any gold— if I found any. I haven’t seen any gold. None was found on me when I went to the station in the pass.” “That forgittin’ business sounds fishy,” warned the outlaw. “I’m givin’ ye a chance. Ye never can go for the gold yerself. If ye tell the boss ye won’t ever git a chance to yip to any one else. He’ll see to that. Calls himself Gentleman Ralph. He’s th’ devil. Know who he is?” ‘throat. “I should say ye don’t. There’s ~ few that does but : eee to'be one of the oe * 3 i oY “ aa < > _ * =.” a = 7 — = od = ee : hy a iat “83 Lape ee eS <a - RS “ AS eo a “cause I couldn’t be cruel to a woman. He paused and laughed deep in his. pig Eat 2 ~ ’ =A > nd ~ ee i= Spee - z ; Td 7 : Mos 5 Ao $27 fy je 0 few. Think a feller like him is goin’ to take a chance on a woman’s gittin’ loose to blab on him? Now I’m rough; but all I’m after is the gold. I ain’t got any eye fora woman. Ralph has.” He waited for the sinister warning to sink in. Uncle Dick could hear the girl catch her breath as she fought back her ~ Her voice was scarcely hysterical fear. audible as she said: “Tf I knew where I found the gold—if I ever did find any—I’d tell you, tell any one gladly who would get me out of this horrible place. Don’t you understand that I’ve lost my memory? I don’t even know who I am. I was hurt or frightened. I re- member nothing of anything that happened before coming to my senses at the toll- house.” Never having heard of amnesia it was difficult for the outlaw to credit this state- ment. 3 ‘See here,” he coaxed, “‘ye’re afeared to trust me, but I was one of the two men what took yer to the toll-house. I done it be- ¥e had bumped Yer head, that I know. Ye didn’t know nothin’ when me’n’ another feller took ye there. I risked my neck to git ye where that old cuss of a Wooton could fix ye up. Now ye’re well ag’in, ye can thank me. An’ a well person don’t go round without rememberin’ things. Tell me an’ go scot free; or refuse an’ Gentleman Ralph will git ye as well as yer gold.” “It’s no use,” sighed the girl. “To save my life I couldn’t tell you what I don’t know.” “Ye can’t never make Gentleman Ralph believe that,” growled the outlaw who, according to his statement that he had helped to carry the girl to the station, must be Chuckle-Luck. “T think he does believe it,’’ she slowly answered. 7 “Then he’ll keep ye cooped up till ye git yer brains back,” snarled the outlaw. “In a day or so ye'll"be keen to git clear of us, but there won’t be any more chances like to- night. He ain’t here now, and the trick can’t be worked once he rides in.’ “T can’t tell ‘what I don’t know,” she repeated dully. Uncle Dick heard the outlaw grind his teeth in impotent rage. Suddenly he chuckled as one inspired, and he hissed— “Couldn’t ye remember an’ tell me if it wee save us life of old Wooton?” : . - : gt r - =a = be ) Gey