Adventure Magazine Cover — page 106: what you’re looking at

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

I0O “Scissors” from bully Allen. Scissors, a harmless fellow who was considered weak-minded since his escape from the Indians, amused the crowd and made a living by cutting clever silhouettes out of paper. As Dinsdale forced the bully toward the door at CHAPTER IV HUNTING FOR ACTION OR two days Dinsdale walked and rode up and down Deadwood Gulch and made several short trips to outlying placers. Most of these diggings were abandoned because of the Indian scare, and the few being worked were under a heavy guard. He received two offers of five dollars a day and his keep to act as guard, his belt guns advertising him as a man of some mettle. Several times he passed San Juan Joe’s big tent, in front of which stood an Indian medicine-pole, but saw nothing of the pro- prietor. Once he met Kitty the Schemer. It was on the road to Crook City. He was returning to Deadwood, and she was riding north in the company of several men. Their dress proclaimed them to be fresh from the East. She flashed him a smile and bowed _ graciously. He asked himself: “What is the little cat planning now? Sharp claws.” Another encounter, and one that left him in poor spirits, was with Mrs. Colt. ‘“How’s Lottie getting along?” he asked, genuinely pleased to meet her. “I was thinking of calling next Sunday.” She eyed him with frank disapproval. ‘We'll say you’ve had your visit here and now,” she told him. ‘“‘Don’t call at the house to see Lottie Carl till I say so. If I hear much more talk about you it’ll be a long time before I speak the word. You and your two guns!” “Surely other men wear two guns in Deadwood,” he defended. “Scoundrels do, and men who have an honest right to wear them. Are you a guard on a treasure-coach? Guarding any diggings? Going to fight Injuns? As far as | can make out you ain’t even a gambler. You ride around, but don’t seem keen to be earning a honest living. You’ve come pretty nigh to be in several rows already.” “How do you know that?” he asked. ‘““A boarding-house is a master place for catching town talk. You don’t deny it, do your” Adventure ) the point of his six-gun he knew that he had made another and more dangerous enemy. “Pll go around to San Juan Joe’s and gamble a bit,” he decided a moment later. ‘I have cer- tainly busted into Deadwood society with a bang.” If I don’t If I do “There’s nothing to deny. want to work, that’s my business. _ want to work, and can afford to wait till I _ strike something to suit, that also is my business. I won’t bother you, Mrs. Colt. So long as you’re good to Lottie Carl noth- ing else matters.” “You talk pert. my nose out of your business. going to git fired up over that. here. Your way of coming made you known to the whole town. What you do is no- ticed. Tl try to think I'll have a chance to change my opinion about you, but you do strike me as being or’nary and no-account up to date. ‘Lottie Carl is too green to look after her- self. I fired a prompt-paying boarder yes- terday, fired him neck and baggage, for winking at her. She ain’t in any danger in my house, but if you ain’t the proper sort I’d have my doubts. The little fool seems to think she belongs to you along of what you done. So we'll wait a bit, young man.”’ Dinsdale removed his hat and bowed low on leaving her. She sniffed disdainfully, yet she was secretly pleased; and he walked on, moodily wondering why he cared _be- cause the Colt place was closed to him. Finally he decided: “Tt won’t do. I must have some sort of work. If I won’t be a merchant or miner I can be a gambler. Gamblers seem to be thought of highly here.” It was late afternoon of the day he had met Mrs. Colt when he passed through the entrance of San Juan Joe’s tent. Once inside he halted and swept his gaze over the groups about the various tables in the large enclosure. Although it was not the rush hour a considerable number of men were trying their luck at faro, roulette and monte. Other patrons were priming for the evening at the long bar at one sideof the tent. That arguments occasionally were dangerous for onlookers was suggested by the two-foot pine logs forming the front of the bar and making an excellent breastwork for the bartenders in stressful moments. For several minutes Dinsdale sought to locate the proprietor but was unsuccessful. You've told me to keep But I ain’t Go NOOKS AUUG You’re new - (C@