Adventure Magazine Cover, October 10, 1921 — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

16 Navy. I got him in. I wish I hadn’t. The Trenton’s bones have lain on Apia beach since last October.”’ The officer swore softly. “It’s enough to drive a man to drink!”’ “T’ve fought it,” grunted Wilcox. ‘What are you doing here?”’ “Getting ready to relieve the Second. I’m with the Eighteenth. We’re arranging to bring four troops here. The Second goes to Utah. Fort Douglas.” ‘Then you'll stay here some time.” “T expect to.” ‘(Come and see me. My ranch is seventy miles from the post. It’s thirty-five miles from the post to town, and thirty-five from town to the ranch. You can make it all right. I might need your troops anyhow. There are a lot of rough citizens around here.”’ The captain smiled. “We can’t use Federal troops that way and you know it! Say, you quiet old schemer, what are you planning, anyhow?” “T don’t know,” said Wilcox, frankly. “The idea struck me. Perhaps if the troops were more evident there might be a good effect. I am not considering my ranch alone. I am thinking of the whole district.” The captain demurred. ‘“‘No. We have to be careful about that. We can’t do sheriff’s work. We attend to our own knitting. I guess you’re not used to conditions around here, Skipper. Per- haps things look wilder to your sailor eyes than they really are.” ; “TI feel like a dime-novel,’” admitted Wilcox. “Still, I wish you were right. You are wrong. The country is getting worse.”’ He looked up at the soldier speculatively. ‘You can make a practise- march any time you want,” he observed, sticking to his point. The cavalryman’s lips showed a broad smile. “Oh, yes; we can make a practise-march any time. We never fight citizens, but we can exercise our horses sometimes. Cer- tainly.” “Thanks, captain. Come and see me.” “T will, captain. Good-by!”’ Tupper’s mighty bellow arose behind Wilcox. “Captain? You? Holy smoke! I didn’t know that!” Wilcox had talked unusually long. He -became terse again. Adventure “TI commanded the old Andrina. Three- master. Go over to the railroad station. See if anything came for the ranch.” LATER Wilcox had dinner at the Red Dog establishment, where the food was rough and manners RE. As the quiet stranger ate amid clashing knives, sopping gravy and the crunching of healthy teeth, he discerned a thread of discourse among the many voices in the room. The speakers were at his right. “He’s a reg’lar hawg fer licker!’’ came a voice. “They say he plants hisself in front of a bottle an’ then winds around it like a rattler swallerin’ a gopher. All alone, too! I don’t mind a gent that gits drunk sociable-like, but the other kind ain’t decent!” ‘He’s no feller for this country!’ came a second voice. ‘‘He’s mixin’ the wrong medicine! I’ll bet the old Wilcox outfit don’t last six months!” “You oughta seen Jake Curry laff when he heard it!’ remarked another. ‘“‘Curry’s workin’ near the Wilcox ranch,” said the first citizen, thoughtfully. ‘‘So’s Tonio Lopez. So’s Charlie Vance. So’s Jose Rodriguez. ’T’ain’t no time to have a weak sister at the head of it!” ‘Are you sure some shorthorn ain’t joshin’ you fellers?’’ inquired somebody else. “Naw! It’s all over town! He’s been blind drunk half a dozen times since he came here couple-days ago. Everybody says so. They say he ain’t,no hand to run a ranch nohow. Don’t know nothin’ about cattle. City feller. Little chunky runt. No good.” > “T’m sorry,” said the first citizen. was a fine old outfit.”’ Grant Wilcox knew where the ae had started. He forgave Tupper, but he was appalled at the way the story had grown, though he censured himself for making it partially true. Nobody could ever know han utterly lonely and miserable and helpless and use- less he had felt on that gloomy night when he had given way to an old appetite. The appetite was never to reappear through all the years to come. He was to cast it aside without a thought, but the damage was done. In the eyes of the town he was a worthless, incompetent sot. _ “She Co DOOLK C@