Adventure Magazine Cover, April 3, 1918 — page 113: what you’re looking at

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

Red Toll Silent could hear men crawling from beneath the prairie schooners, their rifles rattling against the wheels. But he had no time to waste in visiting. “T’m the Gov’ment scout from Larned,” he repeated. “I’ve a long ride afore me. I’m sent to warn ye that ye’ll be jumped by a small band o’ Kiowy at sunrise. There’s ’bout thirty of ’em. Corral yer wagons an’ double yer guard. How many rifles have ye?” ‘“?Nough to handle any thirty reds,” was the suspicious reply. ‘‘Just ride for- ward, or [ll plug ye.” “Ve’ll be jumped at sunrise, or a leetle before. Make yer own medicine.” With that he turned and dashed into the stream and rode like mad along the south side of the Arkansas. és) THE east was beginning to redden - when he leaped from his blown pony ~ at the cover of sage-brush. quickly emerged, crying: “Where have you been? I thought they’d got you.” “Struck signs of a war-party an’ rode on to th’ Crossin’ to warn th’ train. It’s Colonel Vrain’s outfit,” wearily replied Silent as he turned his pony loose and entered the brush. “Of all the fool moves!” gritted Texas. “Why didn’t you come back here to meet me? Then both of us could have gone and stayed to help the train if it came to a fight.” ‘“Reckon I got nervous. was some ride from here. Didn’t even know as I’d find ye here. Thought ye might ’a’ struck th’ same signs an’ foller’d 7em up.” “T’ve sweat blood waiting here alone,” growled Texas. “Believed you’d been wiped out. Then decided it would be my turn before morning.” “Wal, it’s done an’ th’ train’s warned. I didn’t go very near as I was keen to git back. Feller offered to shoot me f’r my pains—cussed tenderfeet let loose to raise Cain on th’ trail!” Texas remained standing, nervously twisting his black mustache, his eyes turned toward the Crossing. Silent dropped to the ground with a grunt of content and examined his long rifle. “Vou need sleep. Ill stand guard,” snapped Texas over his shoulder. Texas Then ag’in, it Iil “No more’n ye do,” reminded Silent. “Ve’ve been awake all night a-worryin’. Lawdy! Wish I knowed English like what ye do. Id quit this life an’ go back to th’ States an’ be a gen’l’man.”’ Texas laughed harshly. “Vou’d need something besides book - English to be accepted as a gentleman,”’ he bitterly informed. ‘‘You’d need money, lots of it. You'd be a gentleman as long as it lasted. It wouldn’t make any differ- ence how you got it so long as you had it— there are no poor gentlemen.” “Shucks! Ye don’t say! try it out, Texas?” Still facing the west the scout monot- onously replied: “So long as my father lived I had plenty of money. I was invited to places, made much of. Rich trader’s son. When he died the money stopped. Very few invi- Did ye ever tations. Then again es “Yep; then ag’in—’’softly prompted Silent. “Tt was noised about I was neither white nor red—I had no folks!” gritted the scout.. “What odds could that make?” puzzled Silent. “What odds? Why, you doddering—l forgot. You’ve been lost out here all your life. The plains are kinder than the East in that respect. It makes this difference, old man. If you wish to marry, people suddenly get very curious about your history and insist on knowing all about your parents—I learned my lesson once, And I came out here.” “Ve know th’ East better’n I do,” wist- fully admitted Silent. ‘An’ come to think of it I reckon I couldn’t stand bein’ shet up in a wooden house. Still there’s times when I git mighty sick o’ buf’ler an’ Injuns —meanin’ fightin’ Injuns. So ye jumped ser to th’ trail an’ went right to scoutin’, eh?” “T’ve been a Government scout for some time. Big train?” ‘“‘Not very—all tenderfeet.” ‘Then if you can’t sleep we’ll ride to the Crossing. Our guns will be needed.” And the scout whistled shrilly to his pony. “Be ye crazy?” protested Silent. “My cayuse is dead beat. Ain’t they got their warnin’? It’s up to them—an’ we never could make it in time. Th’ sun’s due in a few minutes. We'd only run into th’ Injuns an’ be scalped.” COnniclooo SS (©