Adventure Magazine Cover — page 33: what you’re looking at

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

Silver Zone and the rope, but his soul responded to the splendid courage the horse showed. At last the horses were breast to breast, and then the black inched ahead. That instant Sport stopped dead still in his _ tracks, and faced Dal with a look of mild inquiry in his intelligent eyes. ee CHAPTER VIII LONESOME JIM’S LETTER wrx he found that Sport was willing to be ridden, Dal turned the black horse loose to find his way back to Has- -brouck’s ranch, though he retained the sad- - had done. die and bridle that were on Sport. Even under extenuating circumstances he was loath to ride another man’s horse any longer than was absolutely necessary, but he had ridden bareback too long already, and now wanted the saddle. As for the legal consequences he only smiled. What was the use of worrying about a simple thing like borrowing: a saddle whee he had just killed a man? Though he had killed Nevada in self- defense he knew it would be impossible to establish that fact to the satisfaction of any jury, against the perjured testimony of all the cowboys on Hasbrouck’s ranch. That day, or the next, the officers would come to Silver Zone to arrest him for killing Nevada. Or Hasbrouck’s outfit _ would come to get vengeance in their own simple way. Dal had no illusions about being able to fight off a bunch of men of any size. It seemed that fate had conspired to make him abandon the Bentlys. He had even secured his own horse in the nick of time. But he felt just as strongly as ever that he must stick with the people of Silver Zone. But obviously he could not go on as he He must now look out for the Bentlys secretly. Vincie was .capable of - taking care of her father, and Dal felt there was little danger of even Hasbrouck using violence against her. Money was the thing she needed most. Dal glanced toward the rough, timber-clad slopes of the mountains. Somewhere up there he felt that he would be safe until he was driven out by the snow, and he could shoot coyotes and wolves while keeping an eye on Silver Zone. Also he could keep watch on all of Hasbrouck’s operations. There was, however, no.immediate neces- sity for going into exile, so he rode scat = toward Silver Zone, all the time keeping a watchful eye on the trail behind him. “Oh, you’ve got Sport again,” Vincie = ; cried delightedly as he rode up to the spring. “How did you manage it?” “Well, somebody else got him first,” Dal = Be admitted, as though striving manfully toe do full justice. “But Sport throwed him away, an’ the thoughtful little-cuss brought me the other guy’s saddle an’ bridle. Reckon he didn’t like bareback ridin’ any = better than I did.” - “Dal; I don’t know what we would have denly: here. That is more money than we could have collected in ten years. it will mean to us!” “T’m sure glad,” Dal said heartily. “I wisht it was so you folks could move out es of here though.” “Are you tired of us, or do you want our | silver-mine?”’ the girl laughed. “Neither one—an’ as far as the mine is concerned, candidly, I’d take two-bits for my chances of ever findin’ it.” “But it’s here—somewhere,” sisted. couldn’t persuade him to leave here until the girl in- that mine is found even if the doctor hadn’t _ “Father will never give it up. I done without you,” Vincie broke out sud- “Mr. Sawyer is going to give us siIX hwadted dollars for the use of the spring— a hundred dollars for each herd that waters. eies are aos — A £ * . Think what — . ws ORs : , a a said it would be too dangerous to move a him.” Apparently she would stay just as long a as her father wanted to, regardless of conse- quences. Dal looked her over admiringly, : - and suddenly he reddened with shame for himself. Vincie had failed to put on the bill of supplies he had bought in Hog-up one single article for herself, and he, man- like, had overlooked it. Her clothes were little else than a mass of patches. They were néat'and clean, and © the quality had once been good, but they | seemed to have almost lost the power of — cohesion. True, she wore them as er as a queen, but ‘Dal was gifted with a fine — understanding, and he knew what secret humiliation it was for a girl of her type to — have to wear rags. More and more he thrilled at the fine spirit of her which dis- | dained to make complaint or apology. He — cursed himself for having placed himself in a position where he had to kill a man, | thus making it necessary for the girl to be comicboo