Adventure Magazine Cover — page 50: what you’re looking at

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

> A mile from Hog-up he picketed his extra > horse to a big greasewood, then rode boldly into town. A few herds of sheep were al- = ready drifting into the country, depending upon the few scattered springs and sinks _ for their water supply—a supply that would _ prove totally inadequate a few weeks later when the real influx of the woolly nomads began. Dal was relieved to see that the saddle-horses tied along the street mostly _ belonged to. camp-movers. Apparently _ there were no cattlemen in town yet, as he failed to discover a single lariat on a stock saddle. __ Dal tied old Spot across the ere from Cutler’s store, and giving his belt a hitch to loosen his six-shooter he strode straight = across the street into the store. A sallow a faced clerk started to mect him, but Cutler emerged from the cage-like post-office and forestalled him. Dal observed with satis- faction that the superior expression on Cut- ler’s face was not in evidence. Every mark and line on the man’s face spoke of worry. _ The long, thin crop of whiskers positively quivered. All in all it was a far different appearing man from the one who had ordered Dal to stay away from Hog-up. “Come right in to the wareroom, Mr. Dallas, where we can talk undisturbed,” he «greeted, leading the way. He made some sort of sign to the clerk __ which Dal intercepted, but which seemed to mean nothing of importance. Dal followed the merchant into the ware- room without objection, nor did he make - objection when Cutler locked the door be- hind him. There was no one else present and he had no doubt of his ability to get out if things went wrong. = “What’s your price?” -_-without formality. | “For what?’ Dal countered cautiously. “Don’t beat around the bush. We know each other,’”’ Cutler retorted. ‘You fooled me into thinking you were just a sheep- herder once, but I know you now. If I'd known what you was then I’d have talked = turkey with you—or seen that you never _ got to Hasbrouck’s ranch.” a The sinister tone in the old man’s voice —_-was not to be mistaken. Dal half-sat, half- eae leaned nonchalently on a huge dry goods box and contemplated the stringy form of the merchant as he paced nervously back and forth. Cutler was a bad man, obvious- ly. The merchant wore a gun, slung low Cutler began ~ Fat yt eM ‘a = eo et we aa + see = (E@) Oe rs tee ee OL el at »~ @ ' -. as — or hae = * ~~ oe -_ eas Sipe le “Saracen - ao - Adventure on his hip, but Dal felt safe in disregarding - it. Cutler was not the man to make any gun-play face to face. Behind the back might be different, but this could be avoid- ed. Still, Showalter had-a feeling that he was in just about the most dangerous place he had ever been in. Cutler believed that he had something on him, and was willing to pay for it; but if it was not forth- coming ‘Do you suppose I’d tie my own hands by sellin’ nty evIREREEE. Dal threw out tentatively. “You didn’t come here to get me. It’s Hasbrouck you're after ain’t it?” Cutler demanded. “Tm after all of you.” ~ “Then why ain’t you used the-—what ‘you've got? I know you're holding for a price or you’d sprung something before this.” Dal cut figure eights on the dry goeds box with his spur while he pendsed the situation. “See here,” Cutler broke out irritably, ‘Sf you didn’t come here to talk business you sure made a of a blunder by coming at all.” “Ym a hard man to trap, Cutler. I never felt safer in my life,” Dal drawled. “What you’ve got against me won’t hold. I can prove they’re forgeries,” the merchant blustered. Dal heaved a sigh of relief. At last he knew the nature of the evidence Cutler supposed him to have, though why Cutler, or any one else thought he had in his pos- session any written evidence of any kind was the profoundest mystery. The only thing he had that answered the description at all was the note Bently had written to Lonesome Jim, and no one on earth knew he had that. Yet he decided to risk a shot in regard to it in hopes that it might sur- prize something out of Cutler, though he could see no connection whatever. ‘ “One thing leads to another lots of times, Cutler. You wondered why I hadn’t done anything before this. Mebbe I would if I hadn’t run on to the body of Lonesome Jim, an’ some papers that he had in his poke.” To his surprize Cutler’s face became positively ashen. “TY didn’t have.a hand in that,” he denied frantically. ‘Sell me what I want and [ll ‘help you land Hasbrouck.” “Turn state’s evidence do you mean?” nichbooks (S@)