Adventure Magazine Cover, June 18, 1921 — page 140: what you’re looking at

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

130 His men howled back, sounding like so many wild beasts, and began to advance. The increased volume of their cursing marked their progress. As they began to be vaguely discernible theré came a loud ripping noise and several of the roof-poles were torn loose and thrown with their bark covering to the ground outside the window. ‘‘We’ve got them!” exulted Ganner, his words coming with a scream. I FERED toward the opening and Posby fired at the gang, leaving it to me to meet Ganner. I heard a mocking laugh and knew my shot had missed; and there grew up within me a pecu- liar horror of the man. One star glimmered through the roof and as it vanished I knew he was descending. I groped with one hand to seize him by the leg, holding my pis- tol ready to settle the business. I touched one kicking heel and heard him give a muffled cry. The next moment I was on my back with the wind knocked out of me. , Jim! Can’t you manage him?” snarled Posby from the window. Pumping for breath, I rolled one side and discovered Ganner must have met with a mishap, else why did he kick about so con- -vulsively? Then came the blessed relief of hearing the scout’s voice crying: * your liver! How does that taste in your gizzard?” “Shonts!”’ I choked, creeping toward him. “Don’t mind me,” he whispered. “Help t’other cuss. Knowed I had one more fight In me.’ It was high time to help Posby, for his weapons were empty and he was dashing the butt of the rifle through the opening. Now and then a streak of fire and the acrid smell of gunpowder told of some daring bandit’s success in shooting through the window. The door groaned and buckled but still held. “Hit again, Jim!’ growled Posby. ‘“‘Eh? Gad, but that spoiled a facel’’ And even in the tumult I heard the sickening crunch of the heavy butt smashing into flesh and bone. Then my friend cried out— “Help me if you can, Jim!” I dragged him to one side and grabbed the rifle. A gun-barrel slid through. the opening and I yanked it inside and reversed it and shot the brute. An arm thrust in a pistol and was cracked by the rifle-barrel. The weapon fell undischarged and I recov- S av eS Adventure ered it. Some one crowded close behind me, some one too slender for Posby’s stocky figure. ‘Use this,’”’ she whispered and she thrust into my hands a pole, to the end of which was lashed a long hunting-knife. I seized it eagerly and with my first essay pinked a devil ten feet from the window. ! They’re shooting with bows an’ arrers!”’ I heard him cry. ‘““Where’s the cap’n?”’ demanded another. ““He’s dead! We'll toss his head out to you when we get time,’ I shouted. ‘The door, Jim! Take the door!” snapped the captain, dragging himself along the wall to my side. He had found a three-legged stool, home-made and very cumbersome, but very solid. He shoved the seat a few inches through the opening and the spread- ing legs caused it to stick fast. It effectu- ally blocked the window except the small holes at the corners. I took my position at the door. The prop still held, but one of the timbers had been hacked in two. With every drive of the ax the splinters flew and the bandits howled and worked with the energy of hell’s finest. A pistol flashing almost in my face revealed a hole big enough to admit anarm. As the weapon was withdrawn I inserted the spear and thrust mightily and felt it meet re- sistance. ‘Help him! Here are three loaded pis- tols,’ I heard Elsie say. “TI’ll watch the window.” aBele captain staggered against me as I yanked in my spear. “Beats all the fighting in the colonies, Jim,’ he cried. “ ! But that cousin of yours is a wonderful woman. God save the king! But he’ll never win over here. We can lick your men, but not the women = A whole section of timber crashed in and the prop began to give. Dropping on one knee, I drove the spear through the opening. The captain reached out an arm and dis- charged a pistol, following up with the other two. I prodded and thrust and was con- scious of blood running down my head and neck. The cheering seemed to swell in volume until it filled the world. How could there be so many of them to cheer when we had killed so many? The door crashed in on us, and the last thing my senses regis- tered was a crashing volley of rifle-fire. I opened my eyes and found I was shiver- ing from the chill of the night and the water COmicloo \ Uf) ©