Adventure Magazine Cover, April 1916 — page 127: what you’re looking at

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

Paradise Bend the feller right plain. That’s Rufe Cutting a-ridin’ away there with Block, or I’m a Dutchman.” “He may be,” returned the marshal equably, ‘“‘an’ if Loudon was here an’ could identify him I’d grab him too, quick. But unless he’s ridin’ a chestnut hoss with a white spot on his nose I can’t arrest him without a warrant. An’ there ain’t no war- rant. See how it is, Dave?” “Oh, I see all right,’’ mourned the land- lord, ‘‘an’ it makes me sick. it! Soon as I seen ’em come in my place I says to myself, ‘Here’s that hoss-thief.’ All IL thought of was that Loudon said the sport was with Block. It makes me sick. It sure does. After me a-cookin’ it all up with you to arrest him! (C’m’on in an’ have somethin’, an’ watch me give that drum- mer the prettiest lickin’ he ever had in his life.” CHAPTER XII SCOTTY ADVISES X7HEN Loudon and Scotty reached Paradise Bend they separated, Scotty going to the Burrs’, while Loudon strolled leisurely about the streets. Loudon visited all the saloons and drew into conversation the bartenders and other prominent citi- zens. In less than an hour he met Scotty behind the Burr corral. “Five days ago an’ early in the mornin’,”’ said Loudon, ‘“‘a Seven Lazy Seven boy met O’Leary ridin’ the trail to the Flying M. O’Leary told him, an’ it wasn’t none neces- sary, that he was goin’ to Sucker Creek. That’s away north a good eighty mile. “Well, that same day in the evenin’ a freighter, camped on the trail half-way be- tween the Bend and Rocket, seen O’Leary a-peltin’ south. The freighter only got a flash at him by the light of his fire, but he knowed him all right, an’ he hollered a howdy. O’Leary never notices. Just leans over his horn an’ keeps a-foggin’ right along. There ye have it—the Flying M trail in the mornin’, an’ twenty-five mile south o’ the Bend in the evenin’. Now who mailed that letter?”’ “It looks like O’Leary,”’ admitted Scotty. “But what ye goin’ to do about it? Ye can’t do nothin’, Tom. [I tell ye, ye got to wait. Now don’t ye go projeckin’ round O’Leary an’ kick up any fuss. It won’t do 125 no good, an’ ye might reap some lead. Yo’re needed at the ranch, Tom. Just you keep that in mind.” - “Don’t fret. I ain’t goin’ to say nothin’ to O’Leary—yet. I’ll give him plenty o’ rope to hang himself with. But I wish you’d let me Injun round some, Scotty. Gimme two weeks, now. Ye won’t regret it.” “Now, Tom, there ye go again. I need ye to home, I tell ye.” “Oh, all right; have it yore own way. But if ye won’t gimme the two weeks now, I’ll take ’em later on my own account. I aim to get my hoss back.” “We'll talk about that later,’’ said Scotty. “You go on in an’ see Dorothy. Y’ought to be ashamed o’ yourself—stickin’ out here when there’s a pretty little girl like that in the house.”’ “Thought ye didn’t like ladies any.” “Depends on the lady. There’s brands an’ brands, Tom. But that little girl o’ the Cap’n’s—well, say, she always makes a gent feel right to home. Wish I was younger. Yes, sir; I sure wish I didn’t have so many rings on my horns. I’d have you boys run- nin’ in circles, I would. Go on in now, Tom, an’ if ye work it right Mis’ Burr’ll ask ye to grub.” Loudon went. ‘Just in time for supper,” was Mrs. Burr’s greeting. ‘“‘Dorothy’s out front. Pete O’Leary’s here again. He’s stayin’ to supper, too. Thank Heaven, I’ll have a crowd for once. I sure enjoy seein’ folks eat. Say, Tom,” she added lowering her voice, “is O’Leary a friend o’ yours?” “T know his name, Mis’ Burr,” said Lou- don, “‘an’ that’s about all.” ‘Well, I was just wonderin’. I dunno whether to like that fellah or not. He strikes me as bein’ conceited a lot. He al- ways acts to me like he thought every girl he knowed was in love with him. He’s good-lookin’ an’ all that, but I don’t cotton to his eyes. They look as if they was hold- in’ somethin’ back all the time. See what I mean? Like he was sayin’ one thing an’ thinkin’ another.” “‘T see,’ Loudon nodded. He understood perfectly. “He ain’t never hung round Dorothy till lately. But ye can’t say nothin’, I s’pose. Still—oh, well, no use chatterin’ about it.” Loudon wondered whether Scotty had known O’Leary was in the house when he ) CoMmichoooks (CO