Adventure, December 1914 — page 99: what you’re looking at

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

Cj | } A % , eh teN > ey X Uy MMEDIATE LEE by” KENNETH B. CLARKE T WAS because of his character- istic manner of shooting that he became known as “Immediate” Lee. The West blotted out the name his mother had given him—a formid- able, academic name—and attached a terse- ly descriptive label in her own language, that men might deal with him advisedly. Judged by the Western standard of accu- racy he did not shoot well. But he shot quick—quick, even as the West computes time in the matter of drawing a gun. For instance, in the killing of Dan Shat- tuck. The making of a cigarette had pro- gressed to the point where the tobacco flakes lay loosely upon the paper when it became necessary to shoot Dan, for Dan’s gun was poised vertically, tensely ready for the throw-down. Lee drew and fired, and put up before the dead man moved; and not any of the tobacco was spilled as he held the paper in his other hand. It was a very dainty death. Immediate Lee dealt only with the es- sentials of life; these he acquired or dis- bursed with incisive directness. The con- sequent saving of time permitted a leisurely 7 97 nicety of action which marked the man with distinction. The spot on the ace is not an essential attainment in a land where all men shoot straight. A card’s face is not larger than a man’s wrist or heart or the space between the eyes; therefore accuracy is served in merely hitting the card. Others had been honored with handles appropriate to some peculiarity of appear- ance, or in recognition of the state that had passed them along; such were Shorty Slade and Kentuck Hurley. But in the case of Immediate Lee it was proper that the name, like the man, should bespeak action. ‘The surname, Lee, served to stiffen the de- scriptive force of the jack-name, as one would say “immediate-ly” with peculiar emphasis. But enough of names! & THE peak of the evening had ar- fe rived at King’s dance-hall. The games were going; the powdered women and bronzed men were paired off at the little tables, and the smoky, smelly atmosphere of the place was jarred by con- fused, discordant racketings. Occasionally G TOO C©