Adventure Magazine Cover, December 10, 1922 — page 134: what you’re looking at

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

“ 5 <— 128 ¢ puzzled. Coloring at his awkwardness, Beach gave a little laugh and requested: “Give me a lesson. Show me how it should be done.” Plummer folded his arms and informed the gaping spectators: “This young man may be my deputy when he has learned some gun tricks. You all understand I’m just giving him some pointers.” Then to Beach— “Why, something like this, although I’m not as quick as I used to be. And as he finished the big Navy leaped from the holster, and the black muzzle was resting against Beach’s stomach, and the - sheriff was gritting— “Put your hands up!” Up flew Beach’s hands. The sheriff laughed silently and replaced his gun. “Gr-great Scott!” gasped Beach. “I never could do that! i thought you meant it when you said, ‘put them up.’ ” The spectators laughed loudly. Plum- mer smiled in a peculiar fashion and said: “All a gmatter of practise. Once you get the hang of it you’ll improve fast. When you think you’ve grown to be nifty look me up. I need good men. As to telling you to put them up, that’s what you will have to say if you become a deputy and corner a robber.” “They say the last stage in was held up,” said Beach. “Almost every stage is held up,’ Plum- mer gravely reminded him. “I can’t be forever riding back and forth on stages. What the company ought to do is to put on some guards. I have advised that and offered to-dig up some good men for the job, but the company would rather have the passengers robbed and the express stolen. Where are you staying?” ‘With John Beidler.”’ Again the cold, calculating gleam shone in the sheriff’s eyes, but his voice was suave as he said: “Couldn’t be in with a better man. Honest, and minds his own _ business. Well, look me up when you think you can draw a gun.”’ Waiting until Plummer had left the hotel, Beach turned to find Carlton; but the proprietor was not in the office nor in the bar. Returning to his seat by the window to await Carlton’s return, Beach was slightly surprized to behold Beidler Adventure and Carlton coming out of the dining-room. Beidler at once joined Beach and abruptly announced— ‘We'll walk back to the cabin now.” “T wanted to tell Carlton first,” said Beach. “T’ve told him already. We'll talk after we get to the cabin.” His voice and bear- ing strongly intimated that he had some- thing of importance to say. On leaving the hotel he walked ahead, instead of beside Beach; this to discourage any attempt at conversation on the street: Now that the mountain-men had gone to investigate the Indian menace the long street was returning to normal, which meant a spasmodic consideration of the latest war-news from the East, the rising price of flour, the last rich strike or the most recent killing. For the time, Indians and stage robberies were under a taboo. The only display of excitement they observed was in front of the gambling wickiup, where a long-haired prospector was bawling for volunteers to aid in expelling from the gulch a score of Chinamen who were charged with making good wages by wash- ing the tailings. Beach followed his friend into the cabin. Beidler left the door open and sat on the threshold and motioned for Beach to be seated behind him. With his gaze on the street he talked over his shoulder to Beach, first saying: “You were talking with Plummer at the hotel. Jearnestly hope you didn’t tell him anything.”’ “Only that Baldy tried to steal my horse in Bannack. He said he would hang Baldy.” ‘“A safe threat. He knows that Baldy is dead and that you killed him.” Beach felt a strange sinking sensation in: his stomach. ‘“‘T had a notion he knew all about it when he came up to me. But he didn’t let on anything in his talk and said he was willing to take me on as a deputy any time.” “The first place he’d send you to would be the Rattlesnake Ranch,” chuckled Beidler. ‘‘The news of Baldy’s death came to town through two channels. The stage driver told Carlton before an office full of people. He said they had found the body. And there’s one point I don’t like. It was covered with brush, just as if you had hidden it.” — ro Eomicbooks (E)