Adventure Magazine Cover, February 3, 1921 — page 59: what you’re looking at

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

The Road to El Dorado mouth he knew he was a Northerner.” ‘You'll be claiming next he’s an Aboli- tionist,”’ sneered the New England man who had invited Natchez to drink. ‘Now [ don’t give a Bunker Hill bean for what Brant Birly says. Frank Seely here lay within twenty feet of Half-Mask when he ‘np’ three of his men rode away from the Platte Cafion hold-up. Frank’ll tell how he’d been asleep and the hosses woke him. He heard them talking, and he’ll swear on a heap of Bibles as tall as Pike’s Peak that Half-Mask is a Southern man.”’ ‘“‘Thash so,’ Seely affirmed, his eyes ,roll- ing with drunken gravity. Natchez gleefully gave room for the two to have it out with fists or weapons, as would have happened in his home town under the hill. The prospects of fun were spoiled by the deep bass voice of a big, good- natured man. ‘Boys, don’t get to quarreling,” he began, speaking much as a father might caution obstreperous children. “If this Half-Mask knew we were fighting among ourselves on the question of his identity it would amuse him more than a ton of gold. “Let’s not have any North-and-South clashing here. We don’t belong above or below Mason and Dixon’s line. We belong tothe West. We’re all citizens of the West. We’re Westerners and brothers, and we’re of one mind when it comes to Half-Mask. We can’t identify him by listening to his voice; he can change it. But he can’t change the color of his hair . “Tt’s black. Brant Birly says so.’ “Sorter yaller—almost white,” ee Seely. “Then there is the color of his eyes, if they can be seen through the eyeholes.” “Light blue,” declared Seely. “Black’s coal,” insisted Brant Birly’s friend. “T reckon you’ll be as far apart when it comes to his height,” remarked the pacifi- cator in mingled disgust and amusement. ‘We're. all together for Parson Kitts,” said the New England man. Kitts smiled broadly. ‘Which being the verdict, suppose we licker,” he invited. As he turned toward the drinking-place he caught Natchez’ admiring eye and beckoned for him to be one of the party. Natchez decided he liked Kitts immensely. Falling in beside the New England man, he whispered, ‘“‘Does the Parson preach?” ‘“Scarcely. We give him that handle because he’s so soft-spoken and has such a flow of language. If it wasn’t for him ther’d be fur flying round these diggings any day. Too much sectional spirit been brought out here. The Southern men are yapping that the North’s trying to put through a railroad to the Pacific at the expense of the South, just to open up free States. Well, where would a road be built except along or above the forty-second or third parallels? Not to open up free States, but because that’s where the road ought to run.” ‘“‘And of course the country opened up wouldn’t be free States,” coldly remarked Natchez. “Stepping on your toes, eh?” genially said.the Northerner. ‘“‘My name’s Durgin. Hail from Vermont. I can see you’re from the South. So let’s quit it and licker in peace. The Parson’s right. No good chew- ing over them things out here. When we get bigger and more settled we can have our town-meetings * “Oh, your town-meetings!”’ growled Natchez. “Well, the Lord is all-powerful,” readily conceded Durgin. “And here we are, ready to test the authority of Taos light- ning.” iw THE liquor-vendor set out his dozen Bins in drinking. In the confusion Nat- chez escaped drinking unnoticed, but Dur- gin poured down his portion as if it had been the sweetest spring water and expressed his preference for hard cider. Various dis- cussions were commenced, and as the men disintegrated into twos and threes Natchez found himself beside Parson Kitts. They exchanged names and Natchez said: “T heard the talk in front of the gambling- place. Who is this Half-Mask anyway?” Kitts fastened a cool, appraising gaze on Natchez’ flushed face and confidentially informed him: ‘According to Brant Birly’s description he might be you, so far as hair and eyes go. Rather a silly question to ask if you heard how two men who have seen him at close range can’t agree on the color of his hair.” Natchez was confused. It was seldom he lowered his gaze, but now he felt very youthful and callow. GO DOOLKS = a 93 tin dippers, and the men took turns © (C@