Adventure, February 20, 1922 — page 143: what you’re looking at

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

. <8 ft © > et eee ithe WS -you reads dead or alive. The Best Bet — burlap fell to the ground, revealing the figure of a man crouching in the corner as he jerked wildly at a revolver that clicked upon an already discharged cartridge. The hammer of the quarry’s gun was rising again as Bradley fired a second time. The man cried out with pain, and the hand bearing the weapon fell limp at his side. “Don’t monkey!” Bradley warned cheer- fully. “TI can pick the stone out of a cameo stick-pin at fifty feet without touching the setting—and that’s a bet that’s never been called. Besides, if I’m not mistaken your name is O’Toole, and the bounty posted for It’s up to you, O’Toole, how I take you in.” The ranger glanced across at the pile of boxes, then up at the stub of rope hanging from the ceiling. “Now that’s what I call a pretty good bet, O’Toole! If I had laid it on the boxes there you’d have got me.” The quarry sneered from behind a week- old stubble. “Young fellow, Ill bet you think you’re a regular slicker!” Bradley glanced sharply at him, then grinned. “It’s dangerous business to bet. They say gambling’s the source of most trouble in the world. Why, man, if it hadn’t been for a bet you’d be footloose and free right now. Just take my advice, O’Toole, and never lay a bet.” noon mill whistles had shrilled, Driscoll, seated at his desk, was Sietorbed bya sudden clatter of hoofs upon the board sidewalk in front of the office. The door was struck a sudden blow and flung open. In the aperture appeared a horse and rider. Ranger Bradley urged the animal into the room, bending low over the pommel to escape the top of the door-casing. Behind him, across the animal’s flanks, draped like a sack of flour, was the limp figure of a man, bound hand and foot. Bradley kicked the door shut behind him. Driscoll laid down his pencil and sat re- garding the ranger. “Hello, Bradley.” | The ranger seemed not to hear. THE following day, just after the He turned upon the saddle, took the limp figure beneath the armpits and set it easily upon the floor. — ae chimney the town’s going to be- “Rough trip, eh, old partner?” he said solicitously. “‘Have another smoke?” The man glared sullenly from behind as stubble. As Bradley produced tobacco and papers the prisoner hobbled to a near-by chair and sat down. Bradley rolled aciga- ret, thrust the end of it between the other’s — 5 “a lips and held a match. = Feat “Sorry to part company with you, old- timer. You're real vicious and a right ex- = = citing trail-partner. I plumb like you; but = there’s your new boss over there,O’Toole.” Driscoll rose and leaned across the desk. — “By George, it 7s O’Toole!”’ ae He Soanret swiftly up at the ranger, his a eyes bright. ae “You’ve got a nice little reward coming, "a Bradley. How’d you-do it?” 3 = a Bradley grinned. =. “After a bit, Driscoll, the town’ll tell — you—with a laugh! oe | Driscoll shrugged, dropped back into his 2 2 chair, and called to his assistant, who came sy from the room beyond. Franklin listenedto | his instructions in awed silence, then cut — a the thong at O’Toole’s feet and led him ; away a £ Bradley, hunched upon the saddle, one — 3 : leg flung over the pommel, rolled and lighted s a cigaret. Driscoll bit the end from a cigar. “Well, you did it, Bradley. Now, what’s the answer? You ought to give us a fair soo chance of protecting ourselves before you = tell the secret to the town and it loses all respect for the service.’ = Bradley blew a thin stream of smokefrom pursed lips. SS “There is an old cabin in the swamp, — Driscoll, that I found a year ago. At that time there was a body in it, and I buried the bones. I marked the place withacross on my chart, and when you showed — smoke locations I saw that they were all right around that spot. = “T figured it right—O’Toole set the fires ase on the reserve, and used the swamp for a hiding-place. Everybody in town knows — that it’s been reported that somebody was trying to set off the swamp; and when I explain that the smoke was out of a fat | tickled.” oe A dull glow mounting to his face, the =a district man nodded, s sadly. cs. “The chief will laugh, too, Bradley, but — ye he won’t be tickled. Far from it. When © the people begin to laugh at the service it’s comichooks.com