Adventure Magazine Cover, October 10, 1921 — page 47: what you’re looking at

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

The Silent Captain stepping outside, for he intended to keep within the law. On the third day they stumbled across a nondescript crowd in a gully and rode them down. The crowd was holding a palaver of some sort. The Wilcox riders surprized them completely. There was a _ welter of yells, shots and flying hoofs, and the crowd was scattered. - Three of them were badly shot up and taken to the Wilcox ranch. Two uninjured prisoners were. sent to the sheriff. Wilcox’ hurricane raid electrified the county again. The boss had stumbled by luck on a gathering of Curry’s henchmen and had captured one of Curry’s best cronies. News of the raid traveled far and wide, bringing another stampede of visitors to the Wilcox ranch. Among them was George Minden, who chortled with glee and frankly an- nounced that he would cast his lot with Wilcox. Another visitor was Bennett of the Big Foot ranch, who arrived after dark from the range, two nights later. “‘Us ranch owners has got to git together,”’ he declared. ‘‘We never done it because we've quarreled too much and we never could pick a leader. I guess sha’s about time we done something.” “Tt is quite time,” agreed Wilcox. “T know it. We’re goin’ to have a meetin’ right soon and we want you to come!”’ There was a clatter of approaching hoofs outside. A horse thundered up to the house. Some one slammed to the ground and footsteps soon beat upon the veranda. Someone hit the door a whack and then bounced in. It was Gennerveeve, booted, spurred, and very much excited. “George Minden’s whole ranch is burnin’ down!” she yelled. vit Buttes but Grant Wilcox made fast ; time that night. He knew some- thing was very amiss. Steve Adams was probably in danger if not already dead. Wilcox took Bennett and two men with him, leaving the rest to guard his own ranch. He was ready for anything. » Gennerveeve’s excited story hinted at queer doings. Her father had been watch- ing Minden’s ranch for some time, she said. XII ia IT WAS many a long mile to Three 37 He expected some one to attack it. He was near there when the trouble started. There was shooting, yelling and fighting before the buildings flared up. Her father had rushed home and ordered her to ride for help. He had gone back to see the show. Wilcox and Bennett didn’t wait for the rest of it. They hastened to saddle their horses. An hour later they galloped over a ride which in the daytime gave a clear view of the whole country. The southern and eastern range was in darkness except for occasional glints from a pale moon, but over to the north was a glare and a great pall of smoke. The dim yellow flare reflected for miles on the hillsides behind the Three Buttes ranch. “She was right!” gulped Bennett. Buttes is gone!” The boss said nothing. He was thinking of Steve Adams. As they drew near to the great pall of smoke they met riders traveling from far distances. The glare had been seen all over the range, even from mountain valleys fifty miles away. The whole county seemed converging into the roads that approached the old Minden ranch. The ranch house was gone. So were barn, sheds, haystacks, bunk-house—every- thing. Only embers remained where once stood Minden’s big house. Red sparks still played amid charred trees. Wilcox and Bennett plunged through the smoke to where knots of men were poking into the fire. Beyond the trees were house- hold effects lying helter-skelter on the ground. Wilcox and Bennett headed that way. The silent boss saw a cot under a dark tree some distance ahead. A figure in white could be seen bending over it. ‘Steve!’ said the boss. “I’m all right,’ murmured the wounded man, waving a weak arm. “Mister Minden saved him,” added Daphne, giving Wilcox her hand. “It was the first thing he thought of after the shooting was over.” “Shooting?” “Ves, We were all at dinner. A lot of yells came from the back of the house. Mister Minden and one of the men jumped up and ran to the rear door. Then a lot of men sneaked to the front. They had torches and coal-oil. They set fire to every- thing!” ‘“Three NOOK C©