Adventure, February 20, 1922 — page 174: what you’re looking at

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

ot i a yah bs ivi > : - % . ro. rol FP wiSis : p Ne : 4 ; ‘ ¥ yeaa ltale : 172 him. Hugging the ground, they rolled the log in ahead of them, bullets thudding into it, or glancing from its upper edge, sending clouds of splinters whirling. “What are you cussing at?” he yelled to ‘the man next him, who was digging frantic- ally at the back of his neck with one hand. “Keep her rolling.” “You can go plumb to ——,” roared the | one addressed. ‘‘A bullet nicked the top of the log and filled my neck full of splinters. I’d just as soon be shot as slapped by a por- cupine, and this is a whole lot worse. I’ve got to cuss or bust, one of the two. Ouch!” he yelled, as a bullet grazed his upraised elbow. “Right on the funny bone. made me ever leave home to be a puncher?” Advancing behind the log past the little window, they stopped, wedging the end of the log against the left hand wall, and lay flat. The men behind rolled another log clear over them. They placed this along- side the first. Another came, to go on top of the others, and they were fairly safe. - Half-blinded with the stone grit, and choking with smoke and dust, they got the _ rest of the logs in and piled up four high. Then they scrambled out into the open again gasping for breath. Gorham picked up the single stick of nt. “Somebody wave his hat, and be all ready to pass the powder,” he yelled and, crouching, ran back into the archway. As the firing in front rose to a crashing roar he held his six-shooter against the window, pulled- the trigger, and, lighting _ the fuse, tossed the giant through the shat- tered pane. The instant explosion blew out the sash. The shooting in front stopped. “Send ’em in,’”’ Gorham shouted, and as the others came running in, bent double, with the boxes, he lighted the fuses and they heaved the giant through the window. As the last one left their hands they started -to run. Hardly had the racing men gained shelter outside when the ground shook with a heavy jar and the walls and roof for fifty feet to the left of the gate heaved outward and upward, then disappeared in dense smoke shot with flame, through which fragments shot high into thé air, or bombarded the - sheltering trees. : a nee 2c z > ee Adventure What * A wide gap was opened into the court." The sides of the shattered walls’ sloped jaggedly upward, while twisted and hanging ' floors and splintered. beams showed the awtul force of the blast. The court was filled with wreckage, some of which had been blown clear across, smashing doors and windows, while where flying stones had struck cracks appeared in the walls. _ - SROVHOM BOLE? SQVARE OVTSIOE | - “Now,” said Gorham, “maybe Newton’ll listen to reason. Somebody that’s got a white shirt tie it on a stick and wave it, and we'll have a peace talk.” ; For a while the white flag evoked no response; then an unarmed man appeared in the court, holding up his hands in the Indian peace sign, and making his way across the débris. “That’s Andy Sawtelle,” said Gorham. “Things are getting warm when he comes out,” and went to meet him. “Hello, Sawtelle,’”’ he said. “Same to you,’’ was the answer.4 ‘“‘Get- ting gay in your old age, aren’t you?” “A little. What have you got to say?” “Have you got any more of that stuff?” Sawtelle wanted to know, jerking his head toward the ruins. | “Plenty. Want to see it?” Sawtelle laughed. “Your word’s good with me, Frank; always was. You’ve got that bunch inside scared stiff,” he went on. “Me, I’d give you another whirl, just for luck; so would __ When the smoke and dust settled they Newton. But the others?” He shrugged could see the havoc wrought. : his shoulders. Eomicbooks com