Adventure, January 20, 1922 — page 162: what you’re looking at

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

160 man she’s can pack de gun in town. Whisky, card, female no mix good wit’ de gun. I’m no can stop de whisky, card, female, but ’'m stop de gun, ba gosh! I’m go by de stable. You mak’ Frenchy Dit- teau on de sign, eh? I’m tak’ de new gun, Blaze. De Sharp’s is good gun, but ’m need more fas’ shoot, mebbe.” They went back to the stable and Blaze signed the new sheriff’s name to the order. “Was this order ever enforced?’’ asked Blaze. “No, it sure wasn’t.”” The stable-man seemed greatly amused at the question. “Yuh can’t do a thing like that, pardner. Wolf Butte won’t stand for nothin’ like that and yuh can cinch your hull to that statement.” yi doors of the stable and got off their | horses. They were a hard-looking trio, grimy from_a long ride. They turned their horses in stalls and started for the door, when Frenchy called to them. “Tak’ look,” said Frenchy pointing at the sign. They stopped and glanced at the sign. One of them laughed and swung on his heel. “Come on, boys; that don’t mean nothin’.” “She’s mean wi’at she say!” snapped Frenchy. “I’m de sheriff and you leave your gun wit’ me.” The man looked at Frenchy, as if aston- ished. He looked at the sign again and laughed sneeringly. “You the sheriff?” “You leave de gun wit’ me.” Frenchy’s voice was softly pitched, as if asking a favor. . His left hand swung out, as if to receive the gun, his fingers working nervously. It was as if he was crumbling something in the palm of his hand. “Leave—my—gun? With—you?” The man’s words were widely spaced as he stared at Frenchy’s left hand. Astomiehrnekt seem ed to grip him, but indignation flashed Fak his eyes and his hand streaked for his gun. He was a frac- tion of a second too late. Frenchy fired from his hip and at the crack of the gun Blaze covered the other two. The: man’s hand relaxed from his gun which thudded to the soggy floor. Over his face came an astonished expression. He knitted his brows as if deep in thought and THREE men rode into the wide Adventure then sank to his knees, after which he slid softly on his face. “De gun stay wit’ me,” declared Frenchy without emotion, reaching down and picking it up from the floor. He turned to the astonished men and re-. moved the guns from their holsters. Then he pointed down at the man on the floor. “You pack de man down to de sheriff office. If you t’ink de doctor do heem any good—you call heem. I’m stay here to col- lect de gun.” Without a word the two men picked up their companion and carried him out of the stable followed by Blaze who directed them. Men saw them going down the street and followed to the office, where they clustered around the door. No ques- tions were asked and no information given. A man came up to Blaze and touched him on the arm. He was collarless and un- shaven, wearing a hat which was minus the crown, but there was a certain refinement about his face that hinted of better things. ‘Have them take him to my place,” said the man hoarsely. “They know where. I—I am Doc Brenton.” Blaze spoke to the men and they turned and followed the doctor down the street. “T wonder what in happened to Jim Clell?” said one of the crowd. Blaze turned and looked at the speaker. “He refused to obey orders,”’ said Blaze. A man laughed. “Somebody givin’ orders to Jim Clell?” “The sheriff,” said Blaze. “Tt was an even break,” stated the voice of the stable-man who had followed them. “Jim reached for his gun first. I never seen nothin’ like it. Jim was hit before he could grip his gun. I’ve seen guns come out fast, gents; but nothin’ like this new sheriff and his deputy drawed ’em. They could yell ‘draw,’ spit on their hands and still beat Jim Clell.” The stable-man’s exaggeration was ac- cepted for what it was worth, but Wolf Butte knew that Jim Clell was as good as their best with a gun. “T don’t sabe this sheriff proposition,” said one of the men. “My pardner was appointed last night,” explained Blaze. ‘‘Wolf Butte is through runnin’ hog-wild. Yuh can pass the word that law and order is comin’ back to this country and she’s comin’ so —*- fast that some of these snake-hunters had better hunt a hole or get run over.” COMiICLMOoOolkKs (C@