Adventure Magazine, Mid-September 1917 — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

22 him his six-shooter. ‘I unloaded her. ’F I was you I wouldn’t go for to slip in any cartridges till I was good an’ out o’ sight.”’ Lanpher dropped the gun into his holster without comment. He wheeled his horse and rode down into the creek, followed by Racey Dawson. The three at the cor- ral silently watched the two riders as they squattered and splashed across, nipped through the bushes on the bank, and loped off southwestward. “T thought that man said he quit.” Miss Dale’s eyebrows were drawn together in a puzzled frown. “Who? Racey? He did. He’s just trailin’ along with Lanpher to get his time. What? Why, shore, miss, safe as a church. Lanpher won’t do nothin’ to Racey. An’ anyway, Racey Dawson is a cold proposi- tion himself—Me? Why, say, ma’am, don’t yuh think o’ that fora minute. Lan- pher won’t do nothin’ to me. He won’t even try. Don’t yuh fret about that, not any.” But in his heart Chuck knew that he lied. He knew that the manager of the 88 would do a great deal—would in short not rest or be contented till he had come even with the man who had humiliated him. But he did not know that Miss Jane knew that he lied. Her black eyes studied him. “Do you know,” she said, after a space, “T think you are a very gallant gentleman.” “Huh!” gasped Chuck, turning brick-red. No one had ever before called him a gentle- man, gallant or otherwise. It was a painful moment. He did not know what to say. But Willie’s Old Brother-in-Law saved the day for him. “‘Cutnose Canter come,” said the Indian, who, since returning from across the creek, had not moved from where he sat on his horse at the corner of the corral. Chuck’s delight at the interruption was not unmixed. What business had Cutnose Canter coming here? What did it mean? ‘“‘Who is Cutnose Canter?” was Miss Dale’s query. “He’s a-a-a man.” haltingly. “Oh,” said Miss Dale, as though she understood perfectly. The reply came | CHUCK faced about as the hoof- = beats of a single-footing pony be- came audible. The horseman slid into view beyond the cottonwoods at the Adventure spring. Cutnose Canter rode up to Chuck and brought his pinto to a halt with a most unnecessary jerk. “Howdy, Chuck,” he said easily, essay- ing a thick-lipped grin. ‘““’Scuse me, ma’am,” he continued, taking off his hat to the girl, ‘‘but I’m all out o’ matches, so I rode over thinkin’ I could borry some.” And as he spoke his bold black eyes roved over Miss Dale’s face and figure in a way that made Chuck itch to lash him across the face with his quirt. Without a word the girl turned to enter the house. Chuck reached upward to his hat-band. “Here y’are,” he said harshly, handing Cutnose a few matches. Cutnose took the matches and returned Chuck’s unwelcoming stare with interest. “°F JI ain’t intrudin’, might I get a drink?” The thick lips were twisted into a Chuck flicked a sneer. ‘“‘There’s the creek.” thumb over his shoulder. ‘‘Now I shore don’t care nothin’ ’bout drinkin’ outen a creek,”’ declared Cutnose, ‘not when I can have a dipper or somethin’ like that. Perhaps thelady—” He paused meaningly. “If yo’re so particular, there's the spring right back of yuh a ways.” “Oh, I guess I won’t bother "bout ony | Here I guess now spring, thank yuh just the same. comes the lady with a dipper. she must o’ heard me.”’ Jane walked unhurriedly forward and handed up the dipper to Cutnose without looking at him. She was gazing at the distant hills with impersonal eyes. Not for an instant, as he drank, did Cutnose Canter cease to stare at Jane. Chuck’s face was a blank. But his mind wasn’t. Cutnose slowly and noisily drank the » dipper dry and held it out to Jane. “Thanks,” said he. ‘I’m shore obliged o yuh.” ‘““You’re welcome.”’ She took the dipper and went back to the house. Cutnose Canter followed her with his eyes till the kitchen door closed behind her. He looked down at Chuck and his byes narrowed. “I’m glad I run out o’ matches,” he re- marked, picking up the reins. “An? that I was thirsty,” he added. “If yo’re goin’ anywhere,” Chuck, ‘‘don’t lemme keep yuh.” observed oO COmicloo ©