Adventure Magazine Cover — page 75: what you’re looking at

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

“Don’t forgit that it wasn’t you that herded me in here, Matt,’ he cautioned. “Pm the ldd that'll keep you here, though;” Wells retorted. The next day Pet Bradley visited Dal in, his cell. “IT like you, Showalter,” he began bluntly, in his_ cold, impersonal voice. “Vm goin’ out to collect the rest of the evidence against you, though I’ve got enough now to hang you. But I don’t want to do a thing by halves. I want all the facts in the case. All I want is to find - out who killed those Basques. - I’m dead sure it was you, though the fact is I’d like to clear you if I could. So if you know of any evidence against anybody else, or can give me any tip at all on the case I'll run it down with just as much zeal as [I would if it waS against you.” . “T could tell you the straight of this killin’, but what would be the /use—you wouldn’t believe me. Go on an’ git your evidence an’ let’s git it over with,”’ Dal said firmly. He was not anxious to talk with, the detective. “You don’t quite seem to savvy me,” Bradley said a little hesitantly. ‘You said I didn’t have any special ability, an’ I reckon I ain’t—only to hang on.to a case like grim death to a dead nigger,-an’ not to be influenced by sentiment in any way, shape, or form. You seem to think I’ve got _a@ personal grudge against you, but I ain’t. You’re just an incident in my buSiness, that’s all. Now if you want to tell me anything——”’ “Not a thing,’”’ Dal waved him away. ‘It was two weeks before “Dal saw the detective again. In the meantime he had waived a preliminary hearing, and his trial had been set for the January term of court. He was not expecting to see the detective again before that time. The sheriff was with Bradley, and Dal felt no call to pretend much pleasure at seeing either of them. The sheriff unlocked the cell door and beckoned for Dal to come out. “What’s up?” Dal demanded. “We're raisin’ a sort of a posse, an’ Bradley wants you to go along,” Matt Wells. explained. Dal glanced inquiringly at the ex- R er. “In spite of your bein’ so —— stubborn I found out that you didn’t kill those Silver Zone oe Se Basques,” was Bradley’s unexpected reply, ie “But I’m a long way from bein’ able to — prove it to the satisfaction ofa jury. How- — ever, I’m takin’ a chance on arrestin’ Bill Hasbrouck an’ his foreman, Gurley. It’s po liable to be a man’s job, an’ I want you “2 along.”’ back an’ hang,” Dal said grimly. He was anxious to be off, so he wasted no ~ time asking questions until the proper time came. Outside the jail he was pleased to find his Sport horse awaiting him, saddled ‘and bridled. There were four other horsés, and Bradley and the sheriff mounted two of them. But Dal was surprized when Thad Thompson and Brick Hardy walked up and took possession of the other two. Dal shook hands heartily with his two friends, then they all rode out of town as unobtrusively as possible. “D’ye know what’s up?” Dal inquired of his friends. Only that we’re goin’ after Hashiousk an’ Slim Gurley,” — replied with satis- faction. “Look-here, Thad, ” ‘Dal began, “temem- ber the wife an’ kids.” “T did—just got insured, so I’m worth more dead than alive,’’ Thad responded laconically. . CHAPTER XTX TREASON ATT WELLS, the sheriff, was an old time cattleman, and a man of no in- considerable courage; yet there was a marked nervousness about him as the little | as i posse neared the stronghold of Bill Has- brouck’s ranch. “Look here, Bradley,’ ” he said resentfully, “it ‘pears to me you’re actin’ a bit high- handed, comin’ in here an’ runnin’ a posse in my own county. Just because you can flash a paper from the governor of the State orderin’ all sheriffs to take your orders don’t license you to plumb ignore a man.” “Got any suggestions?” Bradley asked. “Ves; I got a lot of ’ em, | but you don’t seem to pay no ’tention to’em. I told you it was rank foolishness for us to start out after Hasbrouck with only five men, but you wouldn’t hear to it. Rushed me Tight off my feet without givin’ me time to do any figurin’. If you’d let me deputized (e©) mic “Just let me mix with those two, an’ if | a they don’ t own up to’that killin’ I'll come - m~ - 7a. - - - : ¢ . » - = SS S| H 5. ted > - 7 pete Ss wt rise f