Adventure Magazine Cover, June 18, 1921 — page 137: what you’re looking at

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

The Torch-Bearers — *fraid for hisself he stays inside or runs away.” “Back to the cabin!” I eed now fever- ish to exhaust this last possibility. “You two wildcats prowl ahead. I'll soon jine you,” said Shonts. Posby and I lost no time in retracing our steps and had covered half the distance and were swinging in at the foot of the slope when Shonts came tearing after us. He must have possessed the eyes of a cat to thread his way through the timber at double our gait. “Pick up your heels!’’ he snapped. “‘Ganner’s breakin’ camp. Scouts brought news that’s upset him. He’s makin’ a night-ride of it. Something queer has been killin’ off his men.” We no longer attempted to practise stealth. If Shonts’ information was correct it would be a race between us afoot and the gang mounted, the cabin being the goal. Ganner had a straight line to the cabin; we still had some distance to go before ending our half-circle. I no longer dared to follow the edge of the growth to the open lane leading to the top of the slope, for this would be Ganner’s road, and already the bustling and confusion of his men breaking camp was audible in the quiet night. In- stead I plunged deeper into the timber and took a diagonal course up the grade. ‘““We can’t make it!’ I cried, as we heard the pounding of many hoofs. “Our chances are about as good as a counterfeit Spanish half-joe!”’ panted Posby. “Keep pluggin’ along. I'll cut straight across an’ hold ’em back a trifle. Stand by to let me into the cabin on the jump; for when I come [’ll be traveling light an’ fast,” ordered Shonts. Without waiting to learn our ideas on his proposal he left us, moving - along the brow of the slope at right angles to Ganner’s line of approach. His plan was simple; he purposed reaching the narrow lane through which the horsemen must pass and halting the bandits long enough for us to make the cabin. We summoned new energy and soon heard the scout’s rifle disputing the right of way. There came a roar of rage quickly followed by a rattling volley. Next we heard the brave fellow yelling: “Come on, boys! Here the varmints be!”’ An ancient ruse, yet often successful; for one can never know for a surety whether the “boys” are actually present or a deception. 127 It served to halt the bandits for a full min- ute, allowing Posby and me to clear the top of the slope. ‘Then Ganner’s passionate voice rang out: “Up and get him, you fools! He’s all alone!” The thumping of the horses taking the slope on the gallop was punctuated by an- other shot from the scout’s long rifle; and the immediate explosion of rage evidenced further loss to the enemy. But the absence of additional rifle-fire told the Regulators that Ganner had spoken the truth, that only one man was opposing them; and there was no further let-up in the advance. We made our way through the last fringe of growth with more than one tumble. There was much pistol-firing as we ran across the clearing, and I feared they were hunting my brave friend close. “Who is it? What is it?” called a fright- ened voice from the end of the cabin. “Tt’s Ike! Skin out for your life! Marion’s men are coming!” I cried. With a howl of fear the creature crashed into the brush and we staggered on to the door. “Elsie! Elsie! Elsie!” I cried as we fumbled to firid the fastening. “Cousin Jim?” answered her dear voice. “Jim and a friend!” I panted, tearing at the captain’s hands in my madness to have the door open. ‘“‘Here’s the da-dandy contrivance!” choked the captain, yanking something loose and throwing back the door. - We leaped in as the mob of horsemen broke into the clearing. Ganner’s voice was raised in the scream of a madman, a malignant falsetto of rage and withal so feral as to chill my blood. Posby was shout- ing for me to find something to prop against the door, when something fell against it and a faint voice was demanding, ‘“‘Let me in— Shonts.” The enemy were coming pell-mell for the . cabin as I opened the door and caught Shonts’ sagging form and dragged him in. As I released him he went down on the beaten earth floor like a bag of meal. The door was closed again and Posby located a cypress beam and found the depression in the hard floor where the butt rested when it was used as a prop. “Fell back in good order—fetched off all my arms,” Shonts exulted in a faint voice. Something stirred at the end of the cabin COmicloo \ ) C©