Adventure Magazine Cover, June 18, 1921 — page 116: what you’re looking at

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

106 gets fortified against our fears of the near future. Waldemar is there, and Waldemar has surrounded himself with enough hooch to make him expand considerable. When we gets there he’s talkin’ politics with “Half Mile’ Smith, and ‘‘Swan River,” and neither of them snake-hunters knows any- thing about politics, except who is sheriff. He introduces us to them two misfits, and they gets agreeable. “Mister Smythe,” says Swan River, looking me over, ‘‘your legs are twins to the legs of a fool I know, but from the waist up you look like a bum thrower. [’m pleased to meetcha.” ““He sure is built so he don’t have to go around nothin’,” agrees Half Mile. “He’s a very brilliant man,” says Walde- mar. ‘“They both have degrees.”’ “They look about zero to me,” says Buck Masterson. “They know things which are concealed from ordinary men,’’ says Waldemar. “Uh-huh,” says Half Mile. “TI shouldn’t be surprized. Any horse-thief is in the same fix—if he’s got any sense.”’ A little later on we corrals Waldemar and asks him what he thinks of the town. “You sure led me to the right place,” says he. “I have dreamed of this kind of a place.” “You ought to stick to dreams,” advises Dirty. ‘“‘We’re wishin’ you’d hurry up and finish your business here, ’cause me and Ike hankers for the open places. Sabe? This city air stifles our lungs and makes our necks ache.” “T’m framing it all up in my mind,” says he, ‘‘and in the morning we'll set up the camera in the hotel window which will give me a full shot at the street, with the bank in the foreground, and then—can you two get horses?” “YT dunno,” says Dirty. ’em—at times.”’«: “Maybe a little risky for you two,” says he. “I'll have two of ’em at the hitch- rack across the street. I won’t have you ride into town, because some one might spot you. I can fake the entrance. fellows will dress in your range clothes, you understand? At the right time you will come around the corner of the saloon, swing on to your horses, dash across the street, where one of you will go inside, rob the bank and come out, get your horses and “We have got You. Adventure dash out of town. I hope the sheriff will get quick action with the posse.”’ “My !? gasps Dirty. ‘“You’re all through with us, are yuh? You can’t use us any further, mister? What has we done to you that vou should wish our demise?”’ ‘You ain’t taking many chances,” says he. ‘You'll take ’em so by surprize that they’ll forget everything.” “Except to shoot,” says I. “Piperock never forgets their guns. No, sir, you’ve got to figure out something easier than that.” “It’s a chance of a life-time,” says he, sad-like, and then he gets this idea— “Tl give you a hundred dollars apiece.” “When?” asks Dirty. “After the robbery.” “Be a sport and make it a million apiece,” says Dirty. ‘‘We’ll never live to collect and a man don’t mind dying for a big stake.” “You can keep what you get from the bank.” “We ain’t goin’ to take no money,” says I. ““We’re just goin’ in and come right out again. Sabe? Folks will think it’s a robbery.” “I want this done right,” says he. “I want the real thing. Take it and then bring it back.” “Well,” says Dirty, “if you feel thataway —how about yuh, Ike?” “It makes me no never mind, Dirty. When they finds my remains with my dear hands folded around stolen money it won’t hurt my reputation none. I’m willing to do danged near anything, so as we get away, where I can take off this beard. My own whiskers are growing circles inside ’em.” “Is the hundred satisfactory?” asks Waldemar. “In advance,” nods Dirty. ‘“{’m goin’ to enjoy myself before the old feller with the hay-hook comes along and cuts m»: off at the pockets.” °@cy WALDEMAR starts to afgue, but we both stands pat and he gives us a= 8°. the money. A hundred dcllars is a lot of money to a man who expecis to die the next day. There ain’t no rainy days in his future. He don’t care a whouvp what comes to pass. Some folks might prepare themselves by praying, but me and Dirty never have asked for anything we ain’t got the nerve to go and get for o irselves. We just throws dull care out of the window and gets cheerful. COmicloo (©