Adventure Magazine Cover, February 3, 1921 — page 66: what you’re looking at

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

60 tumble somebody is going to get killed. Perhaps you’d get the money back, and per- haps you wouldn’t. Id advise a quiet talk and an offer to compromise—split ‘the money.” “Tt is all mine!” expostulated Laramie Pete. “Every derned piece of it!” cried Joe. “Of course it is,’ soothed Kitts. “But look at it this way: You can’t afford to get the boys down on you by coming in here and starting a fight that’ll cost several lives. Even if they hoorayed and went with you they’d feel mad after it’s all over. They’d begin to think it would ’a’ been a mighty good plan for you to take care of your money so it couldn’t be stolen. Then again probably the money has been divided— some of it spent on gambling and drink. “Now I’m willing to do this: Ill go with Laramie alone and talk it over with Red Shirley. If he has any of the money I be- heve I can get him to fork over part of it. But he won’t give a cent back unless he knows the whole affair is to end with what he does hand back. Ill speak to Old Oakes about it when he opens his game to- night. Shirley seems to be his man, and———”’ “Old Oakes!” snarled California Joe, his black beard bristling. ‘If I ain’t got a stick in pickle for that feller! Where does he hang out? I'll arn how strong his medicine is when it bucks ag’in’ mine!” re surprize, then shook his head de- spondently, and in deep disgust demanded: ‘Just how many feuds have you people fetched to this town? Oakes came here and opened a faro game. Ain’t been here long, but he’s an old-timer beside you fellows. “He seems to be on the square. His game is about the only amusement the boys have. It would be mighty unpopular for strangers to bring any fight to him here.” “It'll be all over before any one knows it’s started, ’’ growled Reason. “You're wrong, my friend,’”’ was the cold reply. “It won’t start. I don’t know what the trouble is between Oakes and you two, and I don’t want to know. But I do know it ain’t any dish for Denver to feed out of.” “Laramie Pete an’ Natchez don’t know nothin’ ’bout it,” admitted Joe. “Then we'll tell Oakes it’s peace so long KITTS stared at the trapper in Adventure as you all are in the town. What you do to each other after you quit town doesn’t inter- est us. But no fighting here. We limit that to drunken rows—things no one can stop.” The trapper fingered his beard medita- tively, his gaze meeting Kitts’ stern eyes un- flinchingly. ‘Then with a whimsical grin he said: = “Ye speak reasonable. It’s a personal fuss atween us, an’ we’ve got all of creation to settle it in outside o’ this town. If he'll agree to act perlite-like while we’re here we'll let it go at that, trustin’ to meet up with him later when we can take our time jin tannin’ his hide. “But as certain words has been swapped atween us an’ as he’s sure to go for his guns when we visit his game tonight ye’d better pass word to him to hold his hosses; other- wise yell need a new faro-dealer.”’ “That’s fine!’ heartily declared Kitts. “T’ll see him and tell him it’s to be a truce. He’ll be glad of it because he don’t want to stop his game by being killed. It’ll make it easier to fix up the Shirley matter.” With this understanding Kitts left them. Reason explosively denounced any plans that forbade their settling their own affairs in their own way. Natchez would have en- dorsed his sentiments warmly had he not been placed under obligations to Kitts the night before. California Joe was inclined to accept the situation philosophically, re- marking that there was no hurry, and that it would be “‘fine travelin’ underground” for Oakes at a later day. Laramie took the trader’s viewpoint; he worshiped barter and profit. Gold must be served. Pete effectually silenced Reason by shrewdly reminding him: “This town is all right for my little girl if no trouble starts. But if trouble comes it might be ver’ bad for her. As M’sieu Joe says, so much room for fighting away from here. I know how messieurs feel. It is ver’ noble of their hearts to avenge their wrongs. When young and there was no little girl I do the same.” “Ugh! Shut up!” growled Reason. ‘Who says I’d stir up a mess that would git th’ gal into any fuss? Joe ’n’ me will wait. Tl make him wait.” | “Merci! I owe you many times for kind- ness. I will now take the little one to the Arapaho camp to meet the head men. Natchez, you go and stay with Missouri connicbooks (E@