Adventure Magazine Cover — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

sun-Dog Trails | * Silent came in and leaned against the bar. “Normal again?” asked Brick. Silent cleared his throat dryly, and Brick nodded to the bartender. Then Brick looked at Bunty, who turned away. Brick nudged Harp, who grinned at Bunty. Then Brick turned to Silent. ' “Wow long since you was in Idaho, Silent?” “Nine or ten years, I reckon.” “Did sheriffs use top-buggies to chase outlaws with?” A man at a poker-table laughed, and sev- eral men turned and looked at Bunty. Brick had plenty of respect for the law, and in spite of his wild escapades stayed within it, but he detested Bunty Blair. Bunty got up from the table and faced ’ Brick. Bunty hated ridicule worse than anything else, and his soul seethed with a desire to obliterate this red-headed nuisance. He did not speak for a moment, evidently trying to control his voice, but there was a decided catch in it when he said— “There are times when a sheriff can’t even use a top-buggy to follow outlaws.” eahy”’ Brick leaned back, elbows on top of the bar, and grinned widely. ‘When is them times, Bunty?” “They don’t make saloon doors wide enough.”’ Brick laughed, loudly, joyously. Bunty’s hand was at the butt of his holstered Colt and he had stepped away from the table far enough to give him room to draw. Brick knew that Bunty was fast enough with a gun; knew that Bunty would likely take a chance when he had all the advantage. eg BRICK was in no position to reach oe for his gun. In fact, he gave no sign that he might reach fora gun. He laughed. Every eye in the place was on Brick. Then Brick’s eyes shifted from Bunty’s face to a point behind Bunty. Like a flash the laugh died from Brick’s lips and a look of horror came. He started to speak. Bunty whirled, falling for an old trick; and before he could recover Brick had flung himself away from the bar, wrapping his arms around Bunty, and the two of them went over a chair and crashed to the floor. Brick staggered to his feet, still holding his grip. He removed Bunty’ S pistal =. and tossed it away. 2I Bunty cursed wildly and kicked Brick on the leg; whereupon Brick whirled Bunty to the doorway and flung him bodily into the street. Bunty staggered to his feet and limped straight toward his office with- out a backward glance. Silent and Harp were backed against the bar, guns in their hands, watching the crowd for a hostile move. Brick looked at the crowd. ~ “T reckon you gents will pardon the con-' fusion, won’t yuh?” No one objected. Silent and Harp walked over to Brick, and the three of them went outside and headed for the hitch-rack. “Now yuh went and done it,” complained Silent, looking back as they rode out of town. ‘Yuh antagonized the sheriff a lot, Brick. He won’t forget that, y’betcha. Yuh went and got drunk and lost that letter and “But with all my faults yuh love me still,” added Brick. “Well—” Silent shook his head slowly— “well, yuh do the dangedest things, Brick. I ain’t kickin’ about yuh huggin’ Bunty Blair. She makes me no never mind how he feels, but that note was important. Suppose somebody finds it? Tell yuh one thing, though, Brick; I’m goin’ to ‘Where did yuh leave that letter?” in- terrupted Harp. Brick turned in his saddle and stared at Harp. “Leave it?” 4 “We’re all in on this, ain’t we?” Harp was very serious. “All right. Yuh can go ahead and tell us why yuh went and got drunk, Brick, Yuh didn’t get drunk for fun, that’s a cinch, Now, where is that letter?” Brick grinned in appreciation of Harp’s deductions. “What makes yuh think I didn’t lose it, Harp?” ‘“‘?Cause yuh never worried about it. I know danged well you’d be r’arin’ around to beat if yuh lost it.” “Tt’s hid in the bunk-house.” “Aw-w-w, ? Silent’s disgust was very pronounced. “Vuh never lost no note, yuh danged red-headed “Veah, I lost a note, Silent.” “Whatcha mean, Brick?” Brick laughed and looked back down the dusty read. COMMcoookSs C6)