Adventure Magazine Cover — page 179: what you’re looking at

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

Law Rustlers the gray. I reckon he must ’a’ tangled in the reins, ‘cause it swung the gray plumb around on the hogback and it stops with its head down. We went up there as fast as we could, but the bay horse and its two riders were out in the breaks. That bay horse could outrun anything in the cow-country, even packing weight; so we know it ain’t going to do us any good to try-and run him down with that hammer-headed gray. This feller has got one foot twisted in the Stirrup and has the reins twisted around his hand and elbow. That big bullet had lifted part of his scalp and the top of his right ear, but he wasn’t dead. “Worst shootin’ I’ve done in a age,” complains Hashknife. “Kinda had buck- fever, I reckon. Shame to waste two shots thataway.”’ We hung the feller over the saddle and went back down to the cabin, where we cut the old man loose. It took him quite a while to recognize us and also to get his vocal cords to working again. “How did yuh happen to be in this shape, old-timer?” asks Hashknife. He shakes his head. “T don’t know, brother. I went to the town, after I left you, and I—I asked a man where I could find the sheriff. He wanted to know what I wanted him for and I said I wanted to talk to him on business. I left there, and in a few minutes some men overtook me and brought me here. They tied me up and left two men to guard me. One of the men told me that if I ever seen the sheriff it would be after the sheriff had died and joined me.” We led the old man outside and showed him the wounded man. ‘“He’s the one what told me that,” says he. ‘What happened to hime” “He stayed too long,” grins Hashknife. “We'll tie him up in your place.” This hombre has commenced to talk to himself, so we ties him to the bunk, where he won’t get loose for a while. “You take the horse and round up the mule, Sleepy,” says Hashknife. That wasn’t no job, being as the mule had sore feet. I took it back to the cabin and turned it over to the old man. Me and Hashknife doubles up on the bay horse and the three of us cut back to the main road again. About a mile or so farther on we comes to 173 the Silliman ranch. Hashknife points down the road and says to the old man: “Keep on this road, pardner, until yuh come to the sign where we first met yuh, then yuh turn to the left. Silverton is about twenty miles.”’ “T wants to thank yuh, son,” says he. “Wants to thank both of yuh for what yuh done fer me. I’m gettin’ kinda old and so forth—but a4 b “A man ain’t no older than he feels,” says [. “Then I’m a million. Got rheumatics and them ropes didn’t he’p it none. Adzos.”’ “Now,” says Hashknife, “I hope he gets out free of charge, ’cause I ain’t got no more time to monkey with him.” We swung into Sillman’s gate and rode up to the house. I reckon Glory seen us ride into the place, ’cause she comes out the front door to meet us and the first thing she says is— ‘““Where’s Buddy?” It don’t take Hashknife long to tell her what happened to Buddy and how we found the old preacher. ‘“Where’s your pa?” Tasks. “In town, I reckon. Council meeting called, I think. They met here last night, but I didn’t get any chance to hear what was said. They’re all suspicious of me. Sim Sellers wants me to be punished for assist- ing Eph’s wife, and him and dad had a run- in over it. Sim growled at me when they came and I told him that Lem was a growler and. look what he got. “Sim ain’t no better than a savage, and he said he’d eat your heart out if he got a chance. I told hint®he better get some extra teeth cause he might lose what he’s got. I thought that dad would give me for sayin’ it, but he didn’t. He asked me where I left my rifle, and I told him I left it in a good cause.” “Glory,” says Hashknife, “do yuh know why I didn’t marry yuh that time?” ‘No, I—I don’t,” says Glory, turning red, “but it wouldn’t ’a’ worked any way, ‘cause Willer Crick showed up in force. Me and Dad and uncle Luke thought you seen ’em coming.” “Your Uncle Luke was the sheriff of Yolo, wasn’t he, Glory?” “‘He was once—yes.”’ ““When he was here?”’ “No-o-o—not hardly. with the Vigilantes down there.” COMMUC He got in bad VOOLKS (C@