Adventure Magazine, Mid-September 1917 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

Longhorns think yo’re sayin’ anythin’ new. S’down, I tell yuh, fore the coffee gets cold.” In the face of this what else could a man do? Chuck leaned his rifle against a willow- bush and sat down. Nevertheless he glow- ered at the Kid’s Twin, for they were his best pants. But he did not glower long. Strong, sweet coffee and the fact that the Kid’s Twin was a friend gradually melted the anger in him. “T thought you went to Farewell,’ Chuck said suddenly. “Vuh thought right,” the Twin assured him. “But yuh didn’t think I was goin’ to stay there forever, didja?”’ ‘“‘No, but why Soogan Creek, cowboy? An’ why all the trimmin’s? For why did yuh dress up all same Christmas Tree? Maybe for who might fit the case better. Yeah, I guess for who is right.”” Chuck leaned forward and tapped the Twin on the knee—“‘The lady, Reginald, the lady. Who’s yore friend?” “Lady? What lady? Whatcha talkin’ about?”’ “What am I talkin’ about? I wonder now. Say, feller, whatcha gettin’ red about, huh?” “T ain’t! I ain’t!’”’ cried the exasperated Twin, now pink to the ears. “‘No, 0’ course y’ ain’t,”’ pursued Chuck. ‘Love is shore a wonderful thing when it can make a gent like you blush. Whois she? Tell yore uncle, Algy. He won’t tell no- body—that is, nobody but the outfit.” “You go to the devil!” barked the now thoroughly aroused Kid’s Twin. ‘“‘I always thought yuh was a idjit, an’ now I know it!” ““*Cause I guessed its secret, huh? Is that what’s makin’ baby lose its little pink temper, an’ bang its little tootsies on the ground? Naughty, naughty, fie, shame.” The Kid’s Twin suddenly calmed. He arose with great dignity and proceeded to make into a bundle the articles he had borrowed. “T’m goin’ away from here,” he threw over his shoulder. ‘“‘Yo’re welcome to the fire.” Chuck Morgan grinned slyly, heaved himself upright, and walked along the bank of the creek for a distance of two hundred yards. He returned and planted himself beside the Twin where he stood tying the bundle into his slicker. for 7 ““Yore hoss-tracks show yuh rode in from down the creek,’ he observed casually. ‘‘They’s nesters down the creek. Might those nesters have a girl?” The Twin’s shoulders gave an impatient jerk. The slow red flooded anew his cheeks, his jaws, and the back of his neck. He mumbled something between his teeth. “Vuh think yo’re . smart,” he said aloud. “TY wouldn’t go so far as to say that,” Chuck observed seriously, ‘‘but I’ve learned a thing or two in my ramblin’s round this world o’ wo, an’ one thing is that they’s more’n one way to make a man talk. It might interest yuh, Mister Man, to know that I’m ridin’ down Soogan Creek to tell them nesters to pull their freight.”’ The Kid’s Twin turned in a flash. His features were convulsed with rage, his fists were doubled. “What’s that?” clenched teeth. “Yuh shore can wake up somethin’ amazin’,” said Chuck, nodding approval. “Yep, at times yore almost human.” The Kid’s Twin took a forward step. “What was that yuh said about them nesters?”’ he persisted ominously. “Why, this mornin’ Tom Loudon told me to sorta ride over an’ tell ’em to slope.” “You won’t tell ’em to slope!”’ “T thought so,”’ drawled Chuck, and sat down on one heel. “Tell me why I won’t.” ‘““*Cause yuh just won’t!” snapped the Twin. ‘That’s why!” “Shore, shore, I know,’ soothed Chuck, “but yuh gotta unravel the mystery. Aw, say, I ain’t holdin’ out nothin’ on yuh. I ain’t tryin’ to run a blazer. Be reasonable, can’t yuh?” But the Twin was not to be so easily paci- fied. He continued to gaze leweringly upon his friend. “Yuh don’t tell ’em nothin’, ’under- stand?” was his decisive pronouncement. “It’s a heap easier to lead than drive— sometimes,” Chuck Morgan suggested meaningly. The Twin’s tense figure slowly relaxed. He squatted down in front of his friend. ‘‘She’s thisaway, Chuck,” he said in a low voice, ‘‘them nesters ain’t agoin’ to be bothered. I don’t care what Tom Loudon or Old Salt or any of ’em says. An’ I'll plug the man that tries to drive ’em away.” “When are yuh figurin’ on leavin’ us?” he grated between COmicloo ©