Adventure Magazine Cover — page 87: what you’re looking at

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

among them and says our fires sent him to them. Then they will know we have covered their bones with his bones; and the wicked birds will not talk to us at night. I have spoken.”’ “Ho! Ho! He looks like a-brave man. He will not make us hang our heads in shame by dying like a weak man,” shouted a warrior. A guttural chorus of “Ho! Ho!’ endorsed this sentiment. The spokesman turned his evil gaze on Put- nam and glared at him mockingly and then called out— “Let the axes say if we must cover the bones of our dead this night.” With a cunning twist of the hand each brave sent -his French tomahawk spinning eight or ten feet above his head, the firelight glinting on the revolving blade and causing each to suggest a wheel of fire. The axes rose in true perpendicular and fell back into their owner’s hands without a body moving, without a hand being lifted to catch them. It was as if a curtain of flickering fire rose above the hali- circle to drop abruptly to the ground. Black Turtle witnessed this approval of his plea with greedy eyes. He pulled out his own ax and, staring straight ahead, sent it spinning -high above his head. Without stirring from his tracks or seeming to note the return of the weapon he simply opened his hand and caught itby thehandle. ~ “So do we all say,” he cried. Another pause for the sake of decorum, and then came the vital query— “Shall we roast this white man to cover our dead?” Again the axes rose as one, an exhibition of the juggler’s art, and fell into the waiting hands. Once more the speaker sent his own ax to the boughs over his head and caught it by the handle without appearing to be conscious of the act. “So do we all say!”’ he triumphantly cried. In spite of his thirst and the excruciating pain in his swollen jaws Putnam had followed the speeches and the vote of the axes with close attention. His death sentence had been pronounced. His strength was sapped, but his indomitable will could not be weakened. He heard the blows of tomahawks eagerly trimming the boughs from some small conifer, He caught glimpses of warriors carrying dry brush. Then the saplings were removed from his aching body and he was jerked to his feet and stripped naked. The man performing the last office slapped his hand against the swollen jaw. With a low, bull-like rumble Putnam struck him in the neck with his clinched fist, knocking him senseless. Another struck the swollen visage with the flat of his tomahawk, sending the prisoner reel- ing to his knees. As he staggered to his feet his hands clutched one of the saplings, and be- The Bushfighters. cut his face. fore, his grinning tormentor could guess the captive’s purpose the butt end of the pita, struck him in the mouth, dislodging several teeth and ripping open his cheek. *scream the warrior recovered his balance and . sprang to finish the captive. He was promptly seized by the master of ceremonies, who shouted: “Let us remember we are of the Iroquois and before that of the Hurons. A brave man ready to die should not be beaten like a dog. “My brother is angry because the sake man So did this white man cut.my face. It does not hurt me.’ And to show his unconcern for the horrible and disfiguring wound he ran the point of his knife along the gash, causing it to bleed. This example of fortitude quieted the infuriated brave, who fell back and endeavored to ignore his hurts. Black Turtle continued— “Tet some one give him water, so he may take more time in dying.” A kettle of water was at once produced and > Black Turtle carefully held it while Putnam drank. The ranger did not need to meet the malignant gaze over the rim of the kettle to understand the motive behind this act of seem- ing kindness. Yet never did a drink taste so good, and in finishing he contrived to slop much of the water over his neck and shoulders, Then, lifting his head, he managed to proclaim— “Tf I ain't swallowed enough water to put out all the fires you hellions can start I’ll die very respectably, and be —— to you, you mangy curs.’ All caught his meaning, and more than one sardonic face broke mto a slight smile of ad- miration for his bearing. He was gently con- ducted inside the circle of brush and the green rawhide thongs were fastened to his ankles and then to the stake with considerable slack allowed. The stub of a limb had been left above his head for a purpose. Over this a line was passed and then down under his arms and across his chest; this to hold him upright should the torture cause him to collapse. His hands were fastened behind the stake, and again a liberal allowance of slack was made.. Putnam calmly tested the cords and the rawhide under his arms and told himself: “They allow more room than the Potawatomi let Willis have. I could almost slide behind this post.” Then after his gaze had roved round the circle of brush he critically added— “Just far enough away to get an even bake.” BLACK TURTLE now brought a torch from the fire and suddenly dashed it toward Putnam’s face. The ranger d not flinch although the heat shriveled. up hiseyebrows. Thespectators shouted approval, COMMICLOOOLKS (C@ a8 et id 5 LS ate fe re eh HF he BP ORS SOTA EO