Adventure Magazine Cover — page 18: what you’re looking at

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

“That ain’t it. I bring a message to him. I am to look for him here at headquarters. If he doesn’t show up I’m to press on and find him. “T overheard things in New York. I’ve seen and heard things here. It’s easy to read the trail. I know the backing and filling is ended and that all is ready to teach Montcalm his lasting lesson.” “They said that last year,’ smothering a little yawn. “This time they mean it. > she murmured, The plan can’t _ fail. No-more wasting men by leaving them here and at the posts, along the road to Lake George. No advancing with half our force, but a smashing advance on water and land. I mustn’t talk about it any more.” “You may be hurt—killed!’’ she shivered. And his delight at her concern caused him to forget. he had been indiscreet. One little hand » touched his lightly and she was whispering: “Oh, I-do hope you advance in full force. The French are very strong, they say. You - must be careful.” “As a ranger I go ahead,” he proudly replied. -“T know how to take care of myself. Johnson had the chance last year if he’d listened to Lyman”and pressed on after licking Dieskau.” “And you’ve brought this news from New York to Captain Putnam!” she exclaimed ad- miringly.. . | He laughed quietly, much pleased with her lack of sophistication. “Scarcely that. I was ordered to wait here two days, to press ori if Cap’n Putnam didn’t show up. I bring other messages, but not what the cap’n knows already. Where and when ‘can I see you to-morrow?” “The saints must protect the French if you storm them at Ticonderoga with the same spirit you would overrun-a poor maid’s heart,” she cried. Then derisively: “Now, Sirrah Woodsman, you make a big talk, as the Iroquois say, about army affairs. Confess you think to impress me with your importance. I'll think no worse of you for the shift. “But you forgot that Albany folks know. what’s forward with Loudoun’s men—and what’s backward. Not a citizen on the hill who does not know that Loudoun and Mont- . calm are marking time. Even your General Winslow at Fort William Henry wrote Lord ‘Loudoun that the ‘sons of Belial are too strong Neither side : for us.’ An officer told me that. will make a move this year. Next year? Well, maybe. God knows.” “You think me a windy talker,” growled Willis. “€ap’n Putnam comes here to get his orders for covering our advance. Major Rogers is scouting far north, or he would come in| Putnam’s place. “Loudoun’s staff officers questioned me yes- terday. I was questioned in New York as one : 8 = | Adventure who knows the country up here. One does not need to be asked many questions before dis- covering what the questions mean.” “How wisely put!” she murmured, darting him a sidelong glance that set his heart. to dancing. “Behold, I will be the brave ranger, Ephraim Willis. And you shall be the general staff and question me, and I will tell you what you mean.” | With a tantalizing burlesque of Willis’ grave bearing she braced her shoulders as if standing at attention and nodded for him to proceed. Le His gray eyes advertised a rash resolution before he spoke.’ Placing a brown hand over her slim hands, he whispered: . “Do you love me? Can you tell what I mean by that question?” She flung his hand aside and rose to her feet, haughtily saying: “That is not the game we were playing, sir. . They teach you queer manners in Connecticut along with their cant and psalm-singing. Or have you been living alone in the woods so long that you think the first white girl you meet is to be pawed about by a provincial lack-of-wit?” Before ‘he could recover from his bewilder- ment she raised the latch and swept into the house. “Well, in despair and rage at the closed door. would think I was a drunken wagoner!” He sprang to seize the latch, but the heavy glass bull’s eyes in the upper half of the door, dimly illuminated by. the light back of them, stared- him out of countenance; or, better, brought him to his senses. - He’quit the porch and hurried blindly down the street, his face burning under the sting of her contemptuous dismissal. “Lack-of-wit, am I?” he bitterly muttered. “Yet I had wit enough to save her from her sorry pranks in New York. Aye, and when it meant earning the hate of Cap’n Lucie of the Grenadiers. “And in God’s mercy what game did she think E-was playing, if not my game of making love to her? They called her ‘Miss Wildfire’ in New York. They call her Jan the Rogue’s girl up here. P “Dressed in velvet coat and scarlet breeches, cocked hat and periwig, strutting it with sword and silken hose, she dared to visit the Blue Swan tap-room., Never was there such a gallant! No wonder Cap’n Lucie lost his head. Reering the risk she ran, she dared all that. “And if I hadn’t come along with my long rifle— Now I, an honest ranger but touch her hand, but ask if she loves me, and ——’s luck! she gives me a dressing-down as if I had mixed blood in my veins. Life of my body, but I must be rare poison!” One my blood!” he choked out, glaring Eomichooks