Adventure Magazine Cover, February 3, 1921 — page 70: what you’re looking at

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

64 “Tl smoke. It goes for his friend, of course?” “Of course. I vouch forit. You'll open up your game as usual tonight?” Oakes nodded and turned to retreat among the wagons. Kitts halted him by saying: “Meet my friend Laramie Pete, trader. He has opened a store and bar in town. Real whisky. Young man who acted fool- ish last night is his friend. He’ll be good in the future.” “Young fool!’’ muttered Oakes. up two of my men.” “Laramie Pete was robbed of some money by his wagon-crew over Kiowa Crick way,” continued Kitts. ‘Red Shirley headed the gang. Naturally he wants the money back. I’ve persuaded him to hold back till I could talk with you about it.” Does he say I’ve taken any of his money?” grated Oakes. “No. But I’ve told him you have a lot of influence with this new fellow called Red Shirley.” “How do you know he lost any money?” “Sacré! Does m’sieu 4 ‘““A moment,” broke in Kitts. Then to the gambler: “T take his word forit, up and down. It’s a matter of ten thousand dollars, gold. Will you help me get back some of it—at least half of if? It'll be for the good of the town—and for the good of your own “Shot game.” Oakes sharply called out: “Oh, Shirley! Red Shirley! Come out here.” There was a wait of a minute; then Red Shirley’s flaming head appeared from be- hind a clump of bushes at one side of the wagons. Either he had seen Laramie Pete approaching and had scaled the wall to take an advantageous position, or he had dis- covered the trader while returning to the wagons from the gulch and had halted until the situation became clear. With lowering face he slowly advanced, his thumbs in his belt. Oakes snapped out: “Keep your paws off them guns! This man says you lifted ten thousand dollars from his wagons before you came here. Well?” Shirley twisted and squirmed under the cold impact of the three sets of eyes, and answered in defense: Adventure “Me ’n’ th’ boys was to git a third o’ his profits for fetchin’ his dod-retted wagons out here from Fort Laramie. Th’ gold don’t begin to make a third o’ what he’ll skin th’ town out of.” “He tells some truth, yet he lies,” quietly said Laramie Pete as the gambler looked to him for his rebuttal. ‘He wanted to fight California Joe. I was to give the crew a third of my profits if he whipped Joe. I agreed, as I knew he could never whip Joe. The trapper whipped this man ver’ easy. If this man says this is not so I'll bring Joe out here to whip him again. Name of a wolf! I can whip him myself.” Oakes pondered the problem for a minute; then bruskly ruled: “Get together five thousand of that coin and bring it out here. Our camp has a bad enough name without being known as a hiding-place for thieves.”’ “Tf I fetch five thousand, then him an’ me is quits on it? Some of t’other boys got some of it.” “It’s squared off if you produce five thousand. Only be quick. If any of your friends refuse to chip in towards the pot they'll quit camp tonight and take their chances with this man and his friends.”’ ‘““Good for.you, Oakes!” cried Kitts. “Bah! What do I care for your trading friend? I simply won’t spoil my bread and butter so that these men can rake off a stolen pot. If it had passed into my hands I might talk different. You heard me, Shirley?” Shirley swore under his breath and lounged inside the wagons. After five min- utes he came back with a heavy sack, which he handed to Oakes, saying: “There’s five thousand. If I didn’t reckon on makin’ more’n that by stickin’ here I’d see Laramie Pete an’ all his friends before I’d give up a dollar.” “Very sensible of you, Shirley,” said Kitts. ‘You’re a stranger to us, but you’re welcome so long as you pan out honest. Bygones will be bygones. Much obliged, Oakes. I knew you’d do 6 ‘Then you knew more’n I did,” grumbled Oakes. “For a bit I was tempted to keep it and tell your friends to come and take it. But it will mostly come to me in the end.” As the trader and Kitts rode away they beheld the gambler standing on the wall, staring after them, while below him showed the head of the mad Indian. NOOK = a (C@ (C@