Adventure Magazine Cover — page 155: what you’re looking at

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

The First Born Arch leaned against the stone balustrade, folding his arms across his chest. “Wal, thar ain’t much to tell,” he said. “Lookin’ back on hit now, hit *pears foolish; but thar at the dance, I was of a different mind, “Ye see, mister,’ he went on, “me ’n’ Lou Ann had been wed jest a few week then and I was turrably in love with her. I wanted her plumb to myself and hit riled me to have another man so much as tech her. Tol Everett seen that, and Tol’s chuck full o’ mischief.. So whilst we was dancin’ that night, he never missed a chancet to run a set with her. He got Lou Ann that flustered, she didn’t know rightly half the time who was her partner. “T didn’t blame her, o’ course, but I kept gittin’ madder and madder at him. And when he come atter her fer the sixth set, I busted loose and talked up to him purty sharp. Tol he laughed in my face, ‘lowin’ out loud afore the hull crowd that hit was ag’in’ the law fer a man to have sech a good-lookin’ gal all to himself. I clean lost my head then, mister, drawed my knife, and, afore anybody knowed quite what I was a-doin’, heart, through his stomick and ever’whar else [ could reach. “Next day they took Tol’s measure fer a coffin-box. And fer several week atter -that hit peared like he’d be needin’ hit any minute. His folks would ’a’ got me, I reckon, if I hadn’t gone to town right off and give myself up to the sheriff. Then, havin’ plenty o’ money,.they lit in, hired a furrin lawyer and made him help prose- cute me. Thar wasn’t much I could say fer myself in court, and a prison sentence was jest what I expected. I got hit, too.” Prentice spoke impatiently. “Well, go on!” hesnapped. ‘What made you escape from the prison camp?” “A letter that Aunt Sally Gabbard writ,” Arch’s answer was prompt. “Hit said the young’un was about to be borned, the weeds was takin’ the craps, thar wasn’t nothin’ to eat in the house, and the neigh- bors was havin’ to feed and look atter my wife. 9 His eyes kindled and he stood sect, *‘Now when I heered that,” he explained, “T knowed thar was only one thing fer me “to do. Lou Ann and the young’un needed me a heap worse’n the State did fer a while. I was her man afore I was the warden’s, fed hit to him ’round his. . Clint he’s high sheriff o’ the county, yo’ Se s and when I wed with her I swore I’d al’ays 2 pertect and keer fer her. So, one night,-— 2 I jest walked out o’ the road-camp, struck acrosst the mountings, and kept a-footin’ hit fer a couple o’ days ontil I got home. See Thar I turned to and worked, gittin’ the = farm so I could leave hit to come back to prison.” . et ‘“‘You’ve come back voluntarily?” gasped | Prentice, incredulous. 3 ey ¥ & * ayy ‘ 1 Hs “, yey ri (Gh eu she ey The mountaineer glanced toward a eee policeman who had taken post at the op- posite balustrade and was watching them. ~~ The lunch-hour over, other people were —— ascending the steps, staring curiously InN “Wal,” drawled Arch, “I ain’t sayin? © that if I hadn’t wanted to come Clint Hawkins wouldn’t ’a’ brung me. But ye see yerself, mister, he didn’t have to. Jest as I tole him, I never meant to cheat the State out o’ hits time. “Lain’t thatlowand sneakin’. The warden he confidencedme by makin’ me a trusty,and I aim toshow him he didn’t jedge wrong.” pee He added simply: oer Se “T’m meetin’ Clint at fo’ o’clock, in front eae o’ that tavern acrosst-from the railroad station, and we’re goin’ ’round togither,. we i PL pee ie Sey | s, s2> % know. He seen hit’ ud humble me to be $ = fotched down like a common prisoner, and he’s a-doin’ hit this way to convenience me.’ Ke = neers “Great Scott!” eae: The older man took off his hat, ran his fingers through his gray hair and mut- Re ee tered confusedly to himself. ees “‘___ if this case hasn’t gotten the best == of me!” he swore aloud after.a moment. “Stabbed a man almost into his coffin be- - cause he teased you for being in love with — your wife. ‘Guity as a sheep-killing dog with wool in his teeth,’ and you admit it. Escaped from a convict-camp to save your go ‘ : family from pauperismi or starvation. And now you voluntarily return to finish paying 3 what you believe is a debt of justiceto your State, when you probably could be half- way around the world, safe. Young man, if you’re telling the truth—and I’m sure you are—you needn’t feel ashamed to be ee rk any baby’s father!” — Sees Arch, his thoughts running in other channels, pulled a cheap nickel-cased watch = from his pocket. ae “Jest a leetle over two hour more,” he COMmIcbOoks:com —