Adventure Magazine Cover, February 3, 1921 — page 141: what you’re looking at

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

The Heart of the Range “Still; Racey,” put in Kansas Casey smoothly, “if you could see yore way to lettin’ us go through yore war-bags, yore’s an’ Swing’s, it would be a great help, an’ - we'd remember it—after.” ' “Veah, we shore would,” declared the sheriff. ‘You save us trouble now, Racey, an’ I'll guarantee to make you almighty comfortable in the calaboose. You won’t have nothin’ to complain of. Nota thing.” Racey laughed cheerily. “Got me in jail already, have yuh?” he chuckled. “You'll have me hung next.”’ “Oh, they’s quite some formalities to go through before that happens,” declared the sheriff seriously. “I’m glad,” drawled_Racey. “I thought maybe you was goniia take me right out an’ string me up,before dinner. Wanna search our stuff, huh? Hop to it. Swing ain’t here, but I’ll give yuh permission for him. He won’t mind.” Jake and Kansas went at the war-bags like terriers digging out a badger. Racey leaned on his elbow and watched them. What luck that the door had been ajar and that he had noticed it! If it had not been a life-and-death matter he veoulc! have laughed aloud. : | officers stood up. They had.gone fmW through everything in the room, Gladeds the coats. Kansas Casey wore a pleased smile. Jake Rule looked dis- appointed. “Don’t look so glum, Jake,” urged Racey. “Ts it a fair-question to ask what yo’re huntin’ for?” “The knife,” he said shortly. that cut Bull’s throat.” “The knife, huh?” remarked Racey as if to himself? “So yo’re suspectin’ me of wipin’ out Bull, are yuh?” “T never did,” said Kansas promptly. know you. You ain’t that kind.” Jake looked reproachfully at his deputy. “Vou never can tell, Racey,” he said, turning to the puncher. “I’ve got so my- self I don’t trust nobody no more.” “Was this here yore own idea,” pursued Racey, ‘“‘or did somebody sic you ento me?” Jake made no immediate answer. It was obvious that he was of two minds whether to speak or not. “Why not tell him?” suggested Kansas. “What’s the odds?” “The knife ds t 135 At this Jake took a piece of paper from his vest pocket and handed it to Racey. “T found this lyin’ on the floor o’ my office when I come back after attendin’ to Bull,” was his explanation. There were words printed on the slip of paper. They read: Look in Racey Dawson’s room for what killed Bull. The communication was unsigned. Racey handed it back to Jake Rule. “Got any idea who put it in yore office?” he asked. Jake shook his head. “Tidunno,” he said. ‘“The window was open. ‘Anybody could ’a’ throwed it in.” “You satisfied now, Jake, or—” Racey did not complete the sentence. “Oh, Pm satisfied you didn’t do it,” re- plied the sheriff, “af that’s what you mean. But the man who wrote this here joke!” As he spoke he tore the note in two, dropped the pieces on the floor and stamped out of the room. Kansas Casey looked over his shoulder as he followed in the wake of his superior. He saw Racey Dawson picking up the two pieces of the note. Racey’s mouth was a grim, uncompromising line. “If Racey ever finds out who wrote that,” thought Kansas to himself, pulling the door shut, ‘ will pop. An’ I hope it does.” For he liked Racey Dawson, did Kansas Casey, the deputy sheriff. CHAPTER XV FIRE! FIRE! “WHY didn’t you tell me at break- fast?” demanded Swing Tunstall. ‘““An’ give it away to Jack Harpe!”’ said scornful Racey. ‘Shore, that would ’a’ been a bright thing to do now, wouldn’t it?” “What didja do with the knife?” “Dropped it through a knot-hole in the wall. The only way they’ll ever get hold of it is by tearin’ the buildin’ down.” “Tack Harpe, if he is the Feller, will know ron found it an’ try again.” “Shore. Wecan’t help that. One thing, we’ll know before the day is over whether it is Jack Harpe or not.” “Tow?” , “Remember me this mornin’ tellin’ you CORmICLOokKs EO