Adventure Magazine, Mid-September 1917 — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

Longhorns “Oh, you ain’t. Huh! You! Which I should say not. But yuh needn’t look at -meso hard an’ abrupt. I ain’t donea thing to yuh, not a thing, so let’s all be happy. Say, I seen Lanpher an’ Racey Dawson a while back. Lanpher didn’t look like his chuck agreed with him.” “Maybe it didn’t. Yuhcan’t tell. Don’t lemme hurry yuh, but hadn’t yuh better be strollin’ along?” ‘She’s a free country, an’ I dunno but what I like the scenery round these parts pretty well. What do you guess?” Chuck made no reply. His blue eyes became slits. Cutnose Canter opened his mouth to finish what he had started. It was a tense moment. But Canter’s sneer suddenly became the thick-lipped grin, and his words when he spoke were pacific. “If yuh feel that way about it, maybe I ‘will be weavin’ along. See yuh later.” Cutnose wheeled his horse on its hind- legs and loped away. “TY wonder what made him change his mind,’”’ mused Chuck. “He was a-figurin’ to say somethin’ to start a gun-play, that’s a cinch, when he got a new idea. An’ it must ’a’ been a good one.” He was still pondering the question when Jane came out of the house. She looked very tired. He went toward her quickly. ‘“‘How’s yore dad now?” he asked. ‘“‘Easier—he’s in bed,’’*she replied tone- lessly. “Shore yuh don’t want me to go after that doctor?” “Positive. A doctor can do no good. The only thing to do is to keep father from having those hemorrhages. Every one he has lessens by so much his chance of re- covery. He hadn’t had one for several months, and we had such hopes—and now, to have this happen. Oh, it is so hard!”’ Her voice broke on the last word, and she unaffectedly dabbed at her eyes with the corner of her apron. Chuck longed to take her in his arms and comfort her properly. But he did not dare. So far as any demon- stration of affection was concerned she was to him the goddess still. ‘“‘I—I’m shore sorry,” he stammered in his embarrassment. ‘‘Yuh—yuh know, ma’am, if yuh want anythin’, all yuh gotta do is call on me. Id ride the little horse down to his fetlocks to get just anythin’ at all for yuh, an’ that’s whatever.” 23 Even in her trouble she almost smiled at the warmth of his offer. : “T know,” she said. ‘“‘You’re a great help. You’re awfully good. If it hadn’t been for you I don’t know what would have happened today. I-——”’ ‘“‘That’s all right,” he hastened to assure her, in a panic lest she thank him again. “I don’t guess yuh’ll be bothered for a while.” -“T’m not so sure. The man who wanted a drink has been here several times.” “You mean Cutnose Canter!’’? Chuck’s surprise was patent. She nodded. “You said that was his name. He didn’t tell us.’’ ‘“‘What’s he said, or done?” The words snapped out like a whiplash. “Oh, he just hangs around. He hardly ever says anything, just sits and follows you with his eyes. It makes me mad, but it gives poor Molly and mother the creeps.” “You never said nothin’ about this be- fore!”’ Severely. “T didn’t think of it, and anyway, you must remember this is only the second time in my life I’ve seen you.” “I ain’t aimin’ to pry into yore affairs, ma’am, but would yuh mind tellin’ me how many times an’ when Cutnose has been here? I know it’s none o’ my business, but > 99 I got a good reason for askin’. “Oh, I don’t mind telling you. He was here twice before you came the first time. He didn’t stay long then—just stopped for matches or a drink, I forget which. But this week he’s been here three times. Day before yesterday, yesterday morning and today. With the exception of today, he stopped about an hour each time.” “He did—the pup!” But the way Chuck said it, the last word sounded like a heart- felt curse. ‘Yesterday mornin’ yuh say,”’ he added, “an’ yesterday afternoon was when that cowkuler sold yuh the beef, - ‘wasn’t ite?” “You don’t think there can be any con- nection, do you?” “I dunno. I want to find out. I’m goin’ to find out. An’ if there is, I’ll guar- antee Cutnose won’t come canterin’ round here no more. .An’ anyway, next time I see him I'll just tell him he ain’t wanted here.” “You mustn’t do that, you 2 ‘“Ma’am, Cutnose ain’t fit to look at the ground yuh walk on,” he declared firmly. COmicloo S C©