Adventure, December 3, 1920 — page 30: what you’re looking at

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

20 “Wal now, Bransom, he’s a right smart well set up, good-appearin’ sort of animal; little younger as you are, I should say; ’bout twenty- seven, maybe, an’——” “What’s he doing in there?” interrupted Bransom. “Wal now, yore a-comin’ a bit fast, Bran- som,” drawled Nixon; ‘‘an’ I didn’t stop to ask him many questions. Fact is, he don’t aim to have anybody pryin’ inter his affairs, I take it. I took it that way from his manner 0’ sendin’ me ’bout my own business, which —— knows I got enough of, tryin’ to persuade people thet this here’s a mineral country’ worth developin’ an’ not a dang——” “What do you mean, not havin’ anybody prying into his affairs and sendin’ you about your business??? demanded Bransom in an evil tone. “Why, nothin’; only he jest p’inted out them two big pines what stands on each side of the entrance to thet draw and says— “* “See them?’ “T said I saw ’em; an’ he jest politely told me thet in his mind—his mind, ’member—he had drawed a mark ’tween them two trees an’ thet any gent who might be so foolish as to come idling across thet mark would be purty danged sure to stop a little hot lead, that’s all. I gathered from thet : “A dead-line!’’ exclaimed Bransom, his eyes narrowing. “Exactly,” nodded- Nixon. “I guess he don’t aim to have no visitors much, an’ it’s my private notion thet he’s got a danged good prospect in there an’ don’t want no interferin’. I alers have said——” “Prospect ——!’’ sneered Bransom. ‘‘Ain’t that what you say, Frued?” The blond man who was standing behind Bransom, drinking in the talk, silently nodded and spat. “Tt ain’t no wild-goose mineral chase that brings a twenty-seven-year old man into this forsaken country to hole up in a draw,” jeered Bransom. “T was younger than thet when I started,” reflected Nixon with a wistful look in his eyes. “He don’t have ito draw no dead-line to protect his claim,” said Bransom harshly. “We got our laws"up here an’ we obey ’em; don’t we, Frued?” Again ‘the blond man nodded silently. “Wal now, may be he’s jest a makin’ his little law up there,” observed Nixon. ‘An’ it goes with me, fer one.’ “Aye, if he wants that draw I guess he kin have it,” said Kane, setting out the glasses. “Looks queer to me,” said Bransom. “Off color,” remarked Frued as he spat again. “Well, you two came in here and staked out a gulch, didn’ t ye?” asked Kane. “Ves: an’ we been here some time, ain’t we?” Adventure demanded Bransom savagely. “I paid for everything I got, ain’t I? You ain’t got no cause to be sorry we came in here have you, Kane?” “No, no,” said Kane in a soothing voice. “An’ maybe this newcomer’ll do likewise. Here’s yore drinks, boys.”” Frued tossed his liquor off at a gulp and left by: the rear door. Nixon idled with his. Bransom was critical. “You bring ‘in poorer stuff, every trip,” he grumbled to the storekeeper. “Did you ever stop to think that a man’s lucky to be able to get a drink at all in here?” asked Kane. “I never hear no kicks about the quality of the liquor when I’ve run out. Then you fellers are houndin’ me to death to make a trip out for more.” “Well, it takes two drinks to make one—of this stuff,’ snarled Bransom, wiping his lips with the back of his left hand. “Give us another, Kane.” As the second drink was being served there was a clatter of hoofs on the bridge. Kane hurriedly went into the store. The two men at the bar heard the-sound of a girl’s voice. Instantly there was a change in Bransom’s demeanor. He finished his drink quickly, straightened his hat, buttoned the two buttons at the neck of his blue flannel shirt and shifted his six-shooter well to the rear of his right thigh. Nixon’s face seemed a bit grim as he noted these activities on Bransom’s part. Then Bransom stepped into the store as a girl was leaving by the front way with a small package under her arm. ‘Nice day, Alice,” he said as he strode to the door behind her. “Not unusual for July,” said Alice Thornton as she walked toward her horse standing before the store. “Can I ride up with you?” asked Bransom, following. “Oh, it isn’t so far that I need an escort,” smiled the girl. A scowl flitted over Bransom’s face. “T hear you got company up your way,” he said. “We? Company? Oh She paused. Then she swung gracefully into the saddle man-fashion and smoothed the sides of her divided riding-skirt. But Bransom knew by her manner that she had met the newcomer. “Ves,” he drawled, your place.” “T believe there 7s aman in there,” quietly. ‘Don’t suppose you’ve met him already?” he smiled. She looked at him, coolly defiant. “Yes, I met him accidentally this morning when I was up there gathering flowers,” she “in that draw above EOPMIC OOO she said * (EO)