Adventure Magazine, Mid-September 1917 — page 111: what you’re looking at

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

Gaston Olaf and Big Business nosed bullet will play hell with your back- bone.” “The stuff’s off, boys,’ growled Carns hoarsely. ‘‘Come out with your hands up.” There was no reply; no sound or sign that the cabin was inhabited. “The rifle’s cocked,’’ said Tom. ‘Come out!’ Fear lent command to Carns’ tones. ‘‘D’yahhear me? Come out!” The door opened slowly and a white face appeared in the crack. “Come out!” The man looked at the steadily held six-shooter in Ada Adair’s hand and quickly obeyed. When the-other men had followed suit Ada slipped into the cabin. Tom Pine, lining his four victims up against the cabin wall at the point of his rifle, waited long and patiently. Presently she came out alone. Her face was flushed, and her eyes wet. “The keys for the handcuffs,” she said. ‘“Who has them?” “In my vest pocket,” growled Carns. She secured the keys and hastened inside again. Once more Tom waited long, but this time impatiently. And then Gaston came lurching out, an awestricken, puzzled expression upon his countenance such as Tom had never seen there before, and then the woman came. Her tears were dried and she was bravely trying to smile. “All right, boy?” said Tom. “Yes.” Thorson turned toward the men against the wall. At the sight of Carns, the man who had mastered him, his face went white with shame and rage. ““God!”’ he said hoarsely. ‘‘To think that a dirty cur like you handled me! And I can’t even bust you with my bare hands because you’re licked now. Tom, Tom, why did you line ’em up with the gun? Why didn’t you leave him loose so I could jump him?” “Easy, boy, easy,’ muttered the old man. ‘‘What’s done is done; you can’t hit him now.” ‘““No, I can’t touch him. And if the tables were turned he’d like to have some- body hold me up with a gun while he slapped my face.” He took a sudden step forward, his hands working, and thrust his face close to the killer’s. ‘‘Are you a man? Will you go off into the woods with me alone?” 109 Carns looked at him, looked at the ground, and shrank tightly against the wall. “You can’t afford to do it, Gaston Olaf,” said Tom. ‘“You’d kill him if you felt your hands on him. Come away; you'll be hitting him soon if you stand so close. Come away.” Reluctantly the young man fell back. “Yes, you’re right, Tom; this is only the dog; what I want isthe owner. Noneed to ask him who that is; we know. But you’re going to travel, you dog, you and your pack. Do you hear; you’re going to leave this man’s country and you're going to leave it as you stand. Then come back if you want to; but if you do I’ll know, and T’ll go hunting for you like I would a pack of wolves.”’ They drove the cowed men through the timber till they struck the main road running to Frost Bite Landing. ‘“‘Hike!”” commanded Gaston. “Get a boat at the landing, and go down river as fast as the Lord will let you.” At five hundred yards Tom Pine drove a bullet over the heads of the departing ones, so close that they ducked at the whine, and he and Gaston turned back to find Ada Adair. She had dragged the canoe down to the water and was entering it as they came up. “You don’t figger to paddle across alone, miss?” queried Tom. She paid no attention; only she looked searchingly at Gaston Olaf’s face. “It’s all right,’ he said, stepping forward with outstretched hand. “It’s more than square.” “You don’t feel hard toward me?” she said softly. “Are you sure? That’s all I want to know.” “‘Can’t you see?” he laughed, and, look- ing at him, she laughed, too, and took his proffered hand. ‘So long,” she said with a little flutter of laughter, and springing in, shot the canoe out into the water. . She looked back once when she was out a good distance, aid then she paddled on. The two men stood on the shore looking after her with wondering eyes. ‘“‘Women!”’ faltered Tom Pine, as they watched her with wondering eyes. ‘‘Wo- men——!”’ TO BE CONTINUED COmicloo C©