Adventure Magazine Cover — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

Silver Zone se 3 = to have you run, but it’s the only sensible thing to do. You'll lose the ranch an’ your cattle, but if you stay you'll lose your neck. That Sheepgrower’s Association will - swing you. Even if you tell what happened nobody will believe that Bill would kill his own herders, an’ there’ll be two against one; besides, you had a motive for killin’ ’em.”’ “You don’t think I killed ’em, do you Thad?” “no, But I’m statin’ the evidence. You started out after them Basques with a gun—me an’ Brick would have to testify _ to that. Even Brick wouldn’t believe but what you killed ’em, though he’d think you done just right. Then there’s that other Basque who heard you threaten to fill ’°em full of lead. Finally they was shot with the size bullets that your gun shoots, an’ every- body knows that Bill Hasbrouck’s rifle is a .32 High Power Special, an’ Slim Gurley always packs’ a .44. They can convict you without Bill or Slim sayin’ a word, though they’d sweat they saw the shootin’ if it was necessary.” Thompson spoke slowly, deliberately weighing each word. “T realize all that,’ Dal admitted, “but I don’t like the idea of walkin’ out an’ let- tin’ Hasbrouck calmly appropriate all my st “There ain’t a thing you can do,” Thad insisted. “I can’t see a thine right now, but if I had a little time I might think of some- thing. If I could keep Hasbrouck from gittin’ his hands on that place legally for about six months something might turn up to spike him.” “T’m willin’ to do anything I can to help you—short of fightin’,” Thad said, vaguely puzzled. “‘Here’s my scheme. Neither you or Brick have used your desert claim rights: You’ ride into Topaz with me tonight, .an’ when the Land Office opens: at nine o'clock in the mornin’ [’ll relinquish back to the government, an’ you fellows can plaster a desert claim of a hundred an’ sixty acres apiece on it. Hasbrouck won’t do anything until my time to prove up has-. passed, then when I default he’ll have one of his men file a contest. But if you an’ Brick have a claim ahead of the contest he can’t do a thing till the six’months che law allows you to git busy in is up.” oF “The minute you poke your face into Topaz you'll be arrested,” Thad demurred. - =: eae “T don’t think so. Hasbrouck would like — to have me hung all right, but he’d rather = My story would raise — doubts that wouldn’t add to His ag Ss « He I’d_ disappear. even though I wasn’t believed. I figure he’ll wait long enough to give me a start — out of the country, an’ then, about tomor-. row afternoon, he’ll howl loud enough to. wake the dead. I’m willin’ to take the ES chance if you are.” “Of course Hasbrouck can keep his mouth Ss. =e F shut when he wants to—he’s an expert at = it. But if we did miscalculate——” “There ain’t a horse in the country that : Bee oe can overtake old Spot,” Dal interrupted. — figured out right. you, an’ take a chance.” Mrs. Thompson spoke for the first time. = “Thad Thompson,” she said firmly, “you'll do nothing of the kind. Everybody knows how bad Bill Hasbrouck wants that ranch, and the Dishpan Basin. We know he’s tried to kill Dal more than once, and killing those sheepherders shows that he’s _ going to get what he wants in the end. = He’d kill you as quick as he would the rest ‘of them. For the sake of the children you’ve got to keep out of it.” “You’re right, Mrs. Thompson,” Dal said.. “I had no-right to ask Thad tozaie = up in the fracas. In a case of this kinda fellow has to play a lone hand. Since it would only play into Hasbrouck’s hand to a without somebody takin’ it over I reckon I’d just as well hit the grit.” He picked up his hat and gloves and started for the door. a” “Tf I was only single—” Thad began. rupted. friendship.” Thad followed Dal out to his horse, still a = afraid that his reluctance would be miscon- strued. Mrs. Thompson’s voice followed pe Pai them. Thad Thompson.” Ex “Tf there’s anything I can do—” Thad soa began again. : “Tf there is I’Mf write to you, an’ sign my a name Walter Dallas,” Dal said. Then as another idea struck him: “I wish you an’ — Brick would be hangin’ around Topaz— without. your guns—on the day that Pm to prove up. There ain’t one chance in a c= eS = e me if I don’t think you’ve got it i I'll go to Topaz with — 3 “T know you would, Thad,” Dal inter- = tg “So don’t think that.J doubt your Tia “Now don’t you mix up in that business, . ee Eomicbooks:c