Adventure Magazine Cover, October 10, 1921 — page 50: what you’re looking at

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

40 I stood there paralyzed till he moved and I was so glad he was alive that I went crazy. After that I never left Adams day or night. I had to make up for things as well as I could. “The shootin’ that night made Curry hostile. He’d lost some pals and got the worst of it. He blamed me. We had a scene behind the barn. He said he wanted damages. I was forced to give him five hundred head. He had me! He had me! ‘Then came the day when you rode down some of his gang in that gulch. Curry came at me again. He said his men were losin’ their nerve. He said I’d got him into this and I’d have to get him out. “THIS time I fought back. Id had enough. I told him he’d better quit the business because I’d quit long ago. He laughed. Have you ever seen Curry laugh? The skin on his face is too tight to stretch and laughin’ hurts him. He said if I was any good I’d have made you sell out long ago. He figgered he’d try his hand and maybe you’d see the light.” “He came,” nodded Wilcox. “Yeh; but he said I’d have to put up the money and pay him mighty well for the job. I told him not to come, but he came anyhow. | “‘Wilcox, by this time I was a crazy man. I’ve never been right since Curry came onto the range. He had me. Even in the courts he’d have me. I brought him here to get your ranch and he’s mighty near got mine! “When he came back after seein’ you he was mighty ornery. He said I’d have to help get rid of you. There wasn’t any other way to deal with the situation. I put my foot down. I said that-between him and Grant Wilcox I’d train with Wilcox. I talked to him like I’d talk to a thievin’ _Injun. We had a free-for-all that ended with me holdin’ a gun on his head and tellin’ him never to come near Three Buttes again. He went away swearin’ he’d make me pay. He did, all right! It came like a flash—and Steve Adams was _ upstairs, burnin’ to death before I knew it!” Minden tossed up his hands. “Say it, Wilcox. Say whatever you’re thinkin’! It can’t be bad enough. I’ve told you all I know. I told the editor about it while I was ravin’ under the trees tonight. It won’t be printed in the paper. It’s for Adventure you to know, Wilcox, and that’s all. It’s a rotten story. You're a white man and I’ve done dirt to a white man. I admit it. Call me anything you want, Wilcox—I admit it!”’ There was a queer silence. Minden might have expected a savage outburst of scorn, but none came. Wilcox merely lit a fresh cigar. “Now you know why I didn’t want Bennett to come tonight,” added the broken ranchman. The boss considered, sitting back and puffing somberly. At length there came a twinkle to his eyes. ‘“‘Minden,”’ came his slow voice, “you have been in the wrong line of business. You were never cut out to be a rascal.”’ XIII Retoa MINDEN’S confession put a new ae, aspect on things. It answered a Wilcox’ old question as to why his ranch was always victimized and it ex- plained exactly what forces he had to con- tend with. Incidentally it gave him control over larger properties. than he had ever hoped for. Minden was a broken man. His spirit was gone. Wilcox, the man who knew nothing about cattle—the blockhead, the drunkard, the silent stranger from San Francisco — found himself lord of two ranches and the biggest man on the range. There was a clash yet to come with Curry. Wilcox hated to think of the coming butchery; but he set his stern lips and prepared not merely to fight but to win. The ranch was like a feudal castle in war time. There were guards at every gate. The boss was now head of a queer col- lection. First was Minden. Wilcox was very gentle with him. The boss always liked Minden, but never again could he respect the man. : Another peculiar guest was the editor, full of energy and eager to get his fingers into ink again, but chary about returning to a town where the cards were stacked against him. He stayed at the ranch and chafed. Daphne was also a guest, the most wel- come of the lot. Cool, gentle, trim and fair, she brought a gracious feminine pres- ence that helped to soothe the jarring ele- ments into something like peace. cConiclboool< Cc C@