Adventure Magazine Cover — page 105: what you’re looking at

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

The Torch-Bearers etiquette by Tickridge, his assaults on me mmpressed me as being a happy augury. I must be let go, but he was to have the poor satisfaction af abusing me first. For if the court were bent on my destruction, I argued, their conduct would have been more punctilious and their bearing stilted. In- stead, the members lounged about in care- less attitudes and talked among themselves while Tickridge was ranting his loudest. So I listened to Tickridge’s charges philo- sophically, quite sure no one else was giv- ing him careful ear. When he described how I had impersonated Major Wemyss the buzz of whispered conversation died down and the gentlemen stared at me stolidly in condemnation of the sacrilege. Tickridge was followed by Sergeant Newt, who exaggerated my act of striking him down into a felony. He entirely neglected to mention his assault on the girl. Other soldiers followed, none being under oath—a small matter if they had been— and when one proved to be unusually stupid Tickridge bawled at him furiously, and with leading questions put the desired answers into his mouth. Even the members of the court could not entirely smother their smiles at the fellow’s prompting. Captain Posby, who sat behind me, whispered in my ear— “That red-faced fool is a better witness for you than against you.” Colonel Jacks announced that Captain Tans had failed to arrive to give his evidence but that the substance of it had been sent in in writing, and he proceeded to read it. I could not see that it amounted to any- thing, simply relating that on the strength of my pass I had deprived him of the plea- sure of whipping a half-wit who, he believed, was one of Marion’s spies. Captain Tans’ caste was that of the mem- bers of the court, and they listened to his charges with grave faces. When the colonel had finished I rose and said that Marion would never employ a scatterbrain as a spy, having too high an opinion of his Majesty’s officers for that. The colonel smiled, but cautioned me about making remarks until called upon. -With the direct evidence out of the way, one of the captains lazily asked me to ex- plain why I had palmed myself off as Major Wemyss. I said that the woman was in terrible danger, that the sergeant had all but throttled her, that to save her from a 95 terrible fate, and realizing that Tickridge’s forces were unattached, and in fact were nothing better than independent troops and ‘operating as their leader’s whims sug- gested, I had used the first expedient that came to my mind after disposing of the sergeant. I insisted that the impersonation of the officer was most complimentary to Major Wemyss, and showed that I believed that even the North Carolinian had heard of his fame and must respect his name. May God forgive me! Even if my duplicity were ill-advised I insisted there was nothing criminal in it. That being a civilian and ‘believing the exigency called for desperate measures, I had.used the name and rescued the woman. I did not divulge the things I had confided to Captain Posby. When I had finished Colonel Jacks asked if I had any witnesses to corroborate my state- ments. “As it was not until this morning that I received notice this court would sit at this time I have had no opportunity to procure witnesses,” I replied. ‘Nor do I know as I could produce any material witness even if time were allowed me. Ellis Ambros, if he were here, could testify to my activity in ridding him of four of Ganner’s cut- throats, and that I was aided by the half- wit I had induced Captain Tans to hand Over as my guide.” “Ellis Ambros has talked with members of the court. We believe we possess all that he could say in your favor or against you,” informed Colonel Jacks. As I had nothing more to offer in my defense the inquiry was adjourned and Cap- tain Posby started with me back to my prison. We were scarcely clear of the hall when the captain softly cried— ‘“‘There’s a most proper looking fellow!” I lifted my head and glanced up the street and beheld a young man, mounted on a spirited horse, coming toward us. In truth,’ he was unusually comely to look upon. There was dandyism in his gay uniform and in the swagger with which he maneuvered his horse, let alone the im- maculate condition of his accouterments and trappings. And, also, there was some- thing which warned one not to presume on this show of vanity and overstep the niceties. We were gazing approvingly at the gallant Comicbhook C©