Adventure Magazine Cover — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

A Pot of Gold “This here% he curléd up for the night. town’s too durned excitable.” Ten minutes later his loud snores were desecrating the night. Two hours later he awoke at the sound of distant popping and raised his head over the corral-bars to look into town, where the lights of the buildings glared into the street. There was trouble afoot; but it was none of Pete’s business, so he went to sleep again. _ Within twenty minutes he awoke. To his ears came the crunching of many boots approaching from the town. It was a mob —a quiet mob that wasted few words. They passed the last saloon and turned toward the corral with the moonbeams throwing strange lights and shadows on their figures and armament. Pete scrambled to his knees and watched over the fence. The crowd turned toward a cottonwood-tree a few hundred feet away. When they came closer he began to dis- tinguish figures. ‘They seemed to be guard- ing some one in the center of the mass. Pete was about to witness a moonlight hanging. The old desert-rat was tough, but it gave him the creeps. It was a business- like affair. Too business-like for dramatics. Necessary words were spoken in low tones. Even the victim was silent and preoccupied. “Glory!” snorted Pete. ‘It’s a passel of rascals hangin’ some other rascal! Happy days!” The crowd réached the town’s lone cottonwood-tree, and its members could be seen making certain quiet preparations. “Swing him high,” came a hoarse voice. “Put him where Finley can see him from the mountains.” Another voice was heard, more somber in tone— “Have you got anything to say?” The victim’s snarling voice arose in a volley of profanity and vituperation. “Let ’er go!’ ‘commanded a voice. Old Pete turned away, not caring to watch it. He collected his blankets and slipped around the corner of the corral, starting for town again. His sleep was broken. He was irritated, disgusted and stricken with a sense of hopeless odds. “They hang folks like they was the governor of the State,’ he muttered. “No more law and order’n a pack of wolves. Me and Tom has a fine chance in this coun- try, ain’t we? 13 “Mike was right. We gotta be a cor- poration.” Pete stumped up the street in search of lodging, plodding past lively dance-halls and saloons where jangling music thrummed loudly. Pete made for the other end of town. <A broad-shouldered man stepped off a board sidewalk and blocked his way. “Tom!” exclaimed Pete. ‘‘What are you doin’ here? What’s the matter?” “Nothing’s the matter. Nothing except that Finley and his crowd know all about our claim. I shot Finley this morning.” “Happy days!” “Not by a long shot. Finley’s badly hurt, but his whole crowd’s at the water- hole. They’re spreading all over the coun- try to look for the mine.” Pete’s lips quivered, then stiffened. “Come on. Let’s git away from people. Tell me about it. I want to know.” Tom led the way to a bare knoll just behind the main street and recited his ad- ventures, also learning of Pete’s general doings. When it was over the old desert- rat rose and straightened, with the moon- light throwing: his grotesque shadow along the hill. “We're licked,” he ‘snarled. afrazzle. Shall we quit?” ““‘We’re not dead, are we?” “Tt knew you’d say that. was waitin’ to hear. All right. shall we do?” : “We might join Hill’s gang and fight it out with the Finleys.”’ ‘““What—meabandit? No,sir! IVdbea — of a bandit, waquldn’t I? Besides, there ain't nothin’ in it except gittin’ shot. We can do that anyhow.” “All right,’ drowsed Tom. What’s your idea?”’ “We'll incorporate.” Tom, looked up sharply. “What” Pete explained his session with Mike, going into details. Tom studied thought- fully. “T hadn’t thought of that. It might work if we can find the right people. We'll think it over. I’m tired. Let’s find a place to sleep.”’ They sought another frowzy “hotel.” Next morning Tom considered while Pete ambled about town. Tom felt that the scheme was possible. He knew a man in That’s what I What “I pass. COmiclbooks ‘7 Fked tos though exhausted and sleepy,. C©