Adventure Magazine Cover — page 167: what you’re looking at

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

The Sheriff of Sun-Dog “T reckon that’s right,’’ nodded Brick. ‘Numbers don’t count.” VE to go to the Weeping Tree. He had an idea, and when Brick got an idea he gave that idea every chance in the world to bear fruit. The fact that Scott Martin could not move, hear, nor talk did not affect this idea. Silent grumbled at being left at the office. “Might’s well be a chambermaid in a livery stable,” he wailed. ‘“Anybody’d think yuh was runnin’ a grocery storé or saloon, the way yuh act about this danged old office. Yuh even tore down them pic- tures that Bunty had on the wall, and there ain’t nothin’ but them old reward notices to look at. Danged old walls look like they had small-pox.” ‘“Ne’mind me,” he grunted, when Brick sought to pacify him. “Tl git along. Mebbe I'll git some ol’ lady to learn me how to knit. Jimminy gosh, I wish some- body’d git drunk and shoot up the town. Think [ll run for Sunday school principal next election. Hurrah for crime and dis- order!” He kicked the door shut behind Brick, who laughed and went to saddle his horse. Mrs. Wesson was hanging up a washing when Brick rode up to the Weeping Tree ranch-house. Jean stood on the steps and watched Brick stop beside Mrs. Wesson, but turned and went inside. Brick fol- lowed her with his eyes until the door closed and then turned back to Mrs. Wesson. “What yuh got on your mind, Brick?” mumbled Mrs. Wesson, without removing the clothes-pin from between her teeth. ‘“How’s Martin?” “TI dunno, Brickie,’” Mrs. Wesson re- moved the clothes-pin and looked back at the door. ‘‘He ain’t sufferin’ none, I reckon; but he can’t hear nor talk. Just lays there and looks at the ceilin’s Mebby he knows what’s goin’ on—I dunno.” “Can I go in and see him?” “Why, I reckon yuh can—sure.” Brick followed Mrs. Wesson inside. Jean was standing near the head of the bed, looking curiously at Brick, who walked up beside her and looked down at Martin. The injured man looked at Brick and a ghost of a smile seemed to flash across his eyes. “He don’t seem to suffer none,” said THE next morning Brick decided 157 Mrs. Wesson, in a half whisper, as though forgetting that Martin was stone-deaf. Jean turned away. ' “Tf he could only talk,” said Mrs. Wesson. “Them danged horse-doctors $s Brick nodded and took a sheet of paper and a pencil from his pocket. He wrote on the paper and then held it up for Scott Martin to read: “Can you read this? Shut your eyes once for ‘no’ and twice for ‘yes’.” Martin blinked twice. Brick turned and explained it to Mrs. Wesson and Jean. ‘Well, bless my soul!” exclaimed Mrs. Wesson. ‘Brick Davidson, you’re too smart to be a sheriff. Ain’t that some idea? We tried that writin’ idea, but there wasn’t no use of it, bein’ as he couldn’t make any answer; but no- body ever thought about a wink message.” Brick grinned and wrote again. “Do you know who shot you?” Martin blinked just once—“‘No.” Brick had banked on Martin being able to tell him who did it, and his hand trembled over the next question. Mrs. Wesson and Jean were leaning forward, watching closely. Brick studied Martin’s face for a mo- ment and then turned to Jean and Mrs. Wesson. “T ain’t got no right to ask him this question, but I want to find out what he knows.” Brick wrote the question— ‘Were you branding a calf when you got shot?” Martin stared at the question, but did not respond. Brick wrote— “Do you know what I mean?” : Martin blinked once. Brick turned to Jean. “Your dad had:a paper which Zell Mohr gave him, telling your dad that he could have the use of the Weepin’ Tree ranch as long as he wanted it, didn’t he?” “Yes. Zell Mohr gave it to dad after we came here. He said it was legal. Dad always carried it with him, because he felt it was safer than if he hid it away.” “Do yuh know where it is?” Jean hurried away to make a search, while Brick turned back to Martin and wrote: “Zell Mohr gave you a paper, which showed you had the right to use this ranch. Did you have it with you when you were shotP” Martin stared at the question for a mo- ment, but blinked twice. “It isn’t in any GOMIIGHOO S (© iin