Adventure Magazine, Mid-September 1917 — page 44: what you’re looking at

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

42 want yuh here. If he finds two 88 hosses in yore corral that’s enough. The jury might not convict, but yuh’d have to leave the country. Yuh can gamble that Lanpher or one o’ his men put them two hosses in the corral] last night when yuh was all asleep. An’ Lanpher’ll come driftin’ in today to find out about it, y’betcha.”’ “Why—why,” gasped Jane, ‘nobody would do such a despicable act!’’ “Lanpher would,” was the Rainbow’s grim pronouncement. “You don’t know that jigger, Miss Dale. Give me some tobacco, will you please, Chuck. I lost my bag fording the creek.” ‘“‘We should never have come here,’’ Mrs. Dale said worriedly, holding poor frightened little Molly to her side. “‘Mother! we have as much right here as any one! And father’s so much better! He’ll be up and around next week! I won’t give up! I won't!” Jane faced her mother with flashing eyes. “Don’t yuh let ’em drive yuh out,” urged Chuck. ‘‘You’ve got good friends, ma’am.”’ “Of whom I am one,” contributed the Rainbow, flashing a dazzling smile at Jane. “Don’t worry, Miss Dale. If Lanpher or anybody else gets gay, it’ll be the worse for them.” So the Dales took heart of grace and went into the house and made coffee and flap- jacks for their visitors. JANE DALE, Chuck, and the Rainbow were sitting on the bars ~ Of the corral gate when, an hour or two later, twelve or fourteen horsemen appeared on the opposite bank of the creek. “You two girls go on in the house,” suggested Chuck, ‘‘an’ lemme manage this thing.” “Not on your life,’ demurred the Rain- bow. “You forget that I may have a little business with Lanpher myself.” So they compromised on the door-sill where the efficient Rainbow, her rifle across her knees, ensconced herself with Jane. The riders forded the creek and rode in between the corral and the ranch-house. They proved to be the sheriff of Fort Creek County, two of his deputies, Lanpher, whose face was still bruised and swollen, and ten of the 88 punchers. Judging by their expressions most of the posse did not appear to like the job in hand. But Adventure Lanpher looked rabidly vindictive as he, riding’ beside the sheriff, approached the placid Chuck sitting on his bar. ““Yuh’ll have to get off that bar!’ called Lanpher, his eyes wide with amazement at sight of Chuck, a free man. ‘“There’s somethin’ in that corral we want.” “Yore friends don’t seem to want it as bad as you do, Lanpher,’’ Chuck com- mented with unction. ‘‘Kind o’ surprised to see me, ain’t yuh? Thought I was in jail, didn’t yuh? Yo’re thinkin’ wrong quite a lot lately. Must be gettin’ old. Well, well, if yuh haven’t been in a fight. Who painted yore eyes for yuh?” Lanpher merely grunted, rode up to the rails and looked into the corral. “By——!”’ he cried wildly. “They ain’t here!” “Don’t yuh cuss again, Lanpher,”? Chuck advised coldly. “What ain’t here, huh? Was yuh lookin’ for somethin’? It must ’a’ been somethin’ big, judgin’ by the size o’ the army. Why didn’t yuh call out the troops? Where’s the rest o’ the ranch, huh?” Chuck placed his hands on his knees and laughed in Lanpher’s face. The posse fidgeted. “TI thought you said they was two oO’ yore hosses in this corral,” said the sheriff, turning angrily on Lanpher. “TI did! They was!’ frankly upset. “Oh, they was two o’ yore plugs here, was they?” drawled Chuck. ‘An’ how d’juh know they was here?” ‘“‘None o’ yore business!’’ was the heated reply. “Oh, yes, it is my business, feller, ’cause I’ve done gone an’ made it my business. Lanpher, what did I tell yuh about friskin’ round here an’ trying’ to run blazers on Mister Dale an’ his family? What did I tell yuh, yuh little rat? Don’t tell me yuh forgot. Don’t tellme. Imight not believe Lanpher was Chuck’s voice was softly chiding. At the last word his long right arm lashed out with the speed of a snake striking and his brown fingers hooked into Lanpher’s collar. His left hand seized Lanpher’s hand before the 88 manager could do more than touch his gun-butt. Without stirring from his seat on the rail, Chuck wrenched the 88 manager from the saddle and flung him face downward across his knees. CoOMmiclsoo (©