Adventure Magazine Cover — page 51: what you’re looking at

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

The Sunshine Separator Address it care of the Sunshine Separa- tor.’ And he walked back into his office, chuckling. IV Reddy hesitated at the entrance and glanced cautiously about. Over on University Place the express wagon was plainly visible, and in the doorway where he had left Spider the latter could be seen idly lounging, smoking a cigarette, his eyes fixed in rapt attention on a dog-fight in howling evidence down the street. Hot blood surged into Reddy’s face at this indifferent attitude of the Ferret’s and an evil glint sprang into his eyes as he started off tugging the un- wieldy machine awkwardly across Four- teenth Street. Turning into University Place, he hurried along until he reached the wagon and savagely dumped the type- writer into it. Then, as the negro drove off, he strode angrily across the street to meet Spider, his hands clenched and murder in his heart. But before he reached the curb the latter’s eyes suddenly turned full upon him in a startled, wonderstruck gaze. ‘For sake, Reddy!” he cried bro- kenly in amazement. “Where did yer—did yer get it?” Burns glared at him ferociously, showing his teeth, his lips twitching like an angry bull-terrier’s. “Yer pin-headed little yap!” he hissed tensely. ‘‘D’ye know what yer steered me up against, huh? Yer don’t, hey? O’ course yer don’t! Yer couldn’t tell a Rube from a hold-up man if yer saw ’em lined up!”’ His features twisted with passion. “And yer had the crust to push me on ter that phoney lay-out—a dead easy cinch, huh? His fistsdoubled. “For two cents I’d knock that peanut block of yours es ‘““What’s the matter, Reddy?” Spider broke in excitedly, his eyes popping in inno- cent bewilderment. ‘‘Didn’t yer—didn’t yer pull it after all?” Burns fixed him with a gaze of withering contempt, and disdained to answer. He gave a quick furtive glance up and down the street. “Beat it!” he said with surly emphasis, “‘and beat it quick! - It’s some frame-up!”’ Spider shot a questioning glance around, and together they started along University Place in nervous haste to Thirteenth Street, ©) ON THE lower floor of the building 807 where they slunk around the corner and scurried along with eyes anxiously alert. For a long time they were silent and it was not until they were well past Third Avenue that they lessened their pace and the startled look in Spider’s eyes gave place to one of eager curiosity. “But—but you swiped it, didn’t yer, Reddy?” he inquired with breathless eager- ness. The latter scowled at him over his shoul- der, his upper lip lifted sneeringly. ‘‘Sure,”’ he snapped, ‘‘I swiped it! And——” “Then how d’ye know it’s a frame-up?” pursued Spider blandly. Burns stopped short and faced him with a scornful leer. “How do I knowr” he repeated with savage contempt. ‘‘How’m I wise you’re a pussy-footed little crimp with a nut on yer that’s filled with punk, huh? How d’ye s’pose I fell to it that yer easy mark over there was some con-man from out West that’s passed us the glad hand and sweet Agnes smile like we was a couple o’ husker Rubes just in from Hayville, huh? And how’d I have a pipe-dream that the guy shook me down fer five bones as easy as he’d pinch ’em off’n a Tennessee come-on, what? Because I got er couple o’ lamps in my nut and seen him do it!”’ He thrust a forbidding jaw close to Spider’s face and glared ferociously. ““And--and did yer really give up five bones ter the fat gink, Reddy?”’ stammered Spider in soft amazement. “Sure, yer little Bowery kike! D’ye s’pose I wanted to pound me ear down in the Twelfth Street growler to-night?” Spider shook his head dubiously. ‘It gets past me,” he said with a puzzled ex- pression. Then his face brightened. “But yer swiped the typewriter all right, Reddy?” he remarked encouragingly. “T tell yer, yes!” exclaimed the other venomously. ‘“‘It’s down ter yer joint by now.” He moved along again, scratching his head perplexedly. “‘That guy’s got the hook into us all right, though,”’ he observed with conviction. “It’s some phoney deal he’s sprung on the two of us. I got wise from the jump that he was on to me with his lovin’ brother dope and a lot er hot air about some sunshine town. And the kid spiel he rang in . “And did he kid yer, Reddy?” inter- rupted Spider brightly. COmiclbook CO