Adventure Magazine Cover — page 31: what you’re looking at

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

The Spark of Skeeter Bill “‘Seen Leeds lately?” asked Skeeter. “Not since early this mornin’,’”’ replied Franklyn. ‘He came to my cabin and bought in with me. Said he thought you had left Sunbeam for good.” “Might be a good thing for you to have a talk with Leeds,” suggested McClung. “Seems like he’s got some good ideas on handlin’ this here proposition.” Skeeter nodded slowly. ‘“Mebbe I better do that, McClung. I'll try and see yuh tomorrow.” si Skeeter and the judge and went out. wee Skeeter watched them walk back toward the north end of town and then turned back to the judge, who was sitting on the edge of the bunk, holding his head in his hands. “Skeeter Bill,” he said hoarsely, “I want to laugh. I want to shake my sides with merriment, but I am—too— dry. I’d sell my soul to a scavenger for one drink of bad-whisky.”’ Skeeter studied him for a few moments. There was no question but what Judge Tareyton was suffering. Skeeter walked to a corner of the room, lifted a half-nailed board and groped under the rough flooring. His hand came up holding a_ quart flask of liquor, and he looked at it in disgust. He looked back at the humped figure on the bunk, and the lines of his face softened. “Judge,” he said, as he walked slowly over to the bunk, “I had this cached away forarainy day. I reckon we'll prognosticate a stormy night.” Judge Tareyton lifted his head and stared at the bottle. His tongue-tip ran slowly across his dry upper lip and his bushy eye- brows lifted perceptibly, as he reached for the bottle. “Skeeter Bill, you have saved my life,”’ he whispered. ‘The devil laughs at a time hike this.” He lifted the bottle to his lips and drank greedily. The liquor flashed through his being and he shrugged his heavy shoulders, as if shuddering from pain. “Well!” He looked up at Skeeter seri- ously. “Well, I hope he gets a good laugh out of it, because I believe in giving the devil his due.” “What do you think of Leeds?” asked Skeeter. 23 “Clever scoundrel,’ pronounced the judge; “anticipated the vigilantes by joining at once. Became a mine-owner for self- protection.” “Told ’em I’d make a good leader,” mused Skeeter. “Protecting himself in case you are as- sassinated,”’ declared the judge. ‘Make you the leader, because you can’t very well denounce him without incriminating your- self. You will soon be killed and he will be the leader: Tug Leeds is fairly clever, Skeeter Bill, and he will use the vigilante organization to further his own ends.” “No, I can’t tell on him,” agreed Skeeter. “T kinda like these miners, judge. They’re right, don’t yuh know they are? I ain’t no danged milk-fed calf, judge, but I kinda wish me and you was right. Aw, I ain’t afraid of Tug Leeds, nor afraid of them honest miners, but——’”’ Judge Tareyton sat staring at the half- empty bottle, scratching at the dirty label with a rough thumb nail. He looked up at Skeeter. “T know how yuh feel, Skeeter Bill. God put a spark of something into all of us—a spark that flares up once in a while. I had one—once, but I guess I drowned it with hooch.”’ “Aw-w, you’re all right,” said Skeeter quickly; ‘I was thinkin’ about me. I’ve stole cows, horses, money and I’ve killed men. I’ve been a winder of a cute little person, ain’t I? ) ‘““Now, some honest men comes along and asks me to help ’em put a rope around the necks of my own kind. Me and you and Tug Leeds are the only ones in Sunbeam what knows whol am. Tug knowed about me from somebody down Mohave way, I reckon, and that’s why he asks me to work with him. Billings and ‘Blondy’ Jones and ‘Kid’ Sisler knowed I was in that Solomon deal, but they’re all gone now. Tug is the only one of the gang what could yelp out loud about me. The rest could only say what they’ve heard.” “You promised to help that preacher,” reminded the judge. “Sure did, judge. That goes as she lays, and I reckon the only way I can help out his cause is to kill Tug Leeds right away.” Skeeter opened the door to go out, but stopped on the threshold, facing the Rev- erend Josiah Weston. GOMiIGooo <S' C@