Adventure Magazine Cover, June 18, 1921 — page 126: what you’re looking at

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

116 everywhere the survivors were throwing down their arms and yelling for quarter. Marion rode Ball through the groups of combatants, restraining the blood-mad from butchering those who stood empty-handed. His whistle sounded the retreat and it was timely; for Tarleton at last was sensing the situation and his entire command was doubling back and roaring down the road to crush us. We had no chance to assemble prisoners, but in falling back to cover the - men did carry with them several whom I took to be officers. Through the woods and back into the swamp we poured. ‘Tarleton’s troopers rode valiantly into the woods but balked at the edge of the swamp. They feared more tricks. I rode in the middle of the column while we were passing across the neck of the swamp, and once we struck firm ground I drew aside to fall in with the rear-guard. Only a few couples passed me before a husky voice exclaimed: . my blood! Old Jim!” I looked twice into the swamp-stained face of a much disheveled officer before I recognized my old friend Captain Posby. I clasped his hand and he wearily in- formed me— “Chap on my right is twisting my arm off.” He referred to Shonts and | ordered the scout back to ki :p tabs on the pursvit if there should be any. ‘““We’H l’arn ’em what whang-doodles is, leftenant,’’ he cried as he dived into the woods to watch the enemy. “Captain Posby, who woul: kave dreamed of such a meeting!” was all I could Say ée None of us when they had you tucked up in the provost’s prison,” he ruefully re- plied. ‘Seen Masters?’ “Good Heavens, no! fighting?” ‘Three of your men dead in the road says he was,” was the proud reply. ‘‘What a devilish disgrace! Picked off like ripe cherries. Curse the luck, Jim, but if I’ve got to be here I’m glad to see you. Your General Marion is a hellion for gall. By every military precept he couldn’t cut us off like that without being caught by Colonel Tarleton.” “Old friend, you did me many a good turn when I was laid up in gaol as “Pooh! Visited you while drunk, and Was he in the Adventure sent in some rations. Still, Jim, there is a favor ‘Name :it!” “Fix it so I can be paroled and get back to England. If held a prisoner I’d die.” ‘“‘General Marion will arrange it all right. I’ve already told him how much I owe to you and Masters. Do they talk of me and Drance in town?” “Ah, that young Drance! The make- believe! What a popular hanging he could furnish the town! If ever he comes to Charleston again while his lordship is there! Such stories are whispered about him! The Royal Gazette hasn’t printed a word. Some idiots even say he was a woman!” ‘“You may meet him before you return to Charleston. You're sure to like him.” “I’m sure to want to wring his neck, the insolent young bantam!” cried Posby. ‘“‘_—. his fine airs! And worst of all he fooled us! Do you know, Jim, it’s always been a mystery to Masters and me how you got out of that cell.” “A bit of luck, a bit of pluck—on some one else’s part.’’ “Pluck? Bah! We speak of a woman’s pluck. Wish! 'new how old Masters is.” “T always wisn him well. He was my good friend once.’ “Ts now. Just because you fight a man is no reason for disliking him. That’s the only trouble with war. You can’t pick the fellows you’d like to fight against. I say, Jim, here comes that wild creature that twistsmy arm. ——! Tell him to keep his distance.” | Ay, | SHONTS did not offer to stop, being pl, bound for the head of the column to AMGMel report. In passing me he gleefully cried out: “Old Tarleton’s got his belly filled. Nary aman chasing us. Whoopee!”’ “Beastly enthusiastic,’ growled Posby. *‘Wonder what the fellows back in town will say about my being nabbed in this simple manner! I could have fought it out till I was downed for good. Five seconds more would have made another dead Posby. I surrendered, but if any one says I lacked spirit dh “You’d be a fool to have your head bashed in when you can be a prisoner and get your parole and go home and fight in some other part of the empire.”’ “Oh, of course. Quite obvious,” he COmicloo ZN ) C©