Adventure Magazine Cover — page 135: what you’re looking at

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

The Long Knives © he would not do; he commenced searching the shore up-stream. I never could understand why he per- sisted in seeking signs when the trail plainly told of two men crossing the river. I knew when he found it by the way he jerked up his head and swept his gaze about him. For sixty seconds he remained crouching, his gun clutched in his two hands, glaring at our side of the river. Satisfied none was in ambush near him, he dropped the gun to lean forward and pull the concealing mass of drift aside. Swinging his head around to guard against a surprize, he proceeded to examine the body of Big Bear to learn how he had died. That he was puzzled at finding no marks of violence, and that he could not comprehend how a Shawnee man could drown in shal- low water or be drowned by an enemy as ihe driftwood testified, was suggested by his thoughtful pose as he stood and scanned the stream and then shifted his gaze to the Chickasaw’s victim. It pleased me im- mensely that he did not sound a loud cry; for his failure to announce his discovery proved he did not believe that any of his tribe were near. At last he came to a decision. Replacing the drift over the body, he glided down- stream to where the Night Walker had made the crossing and plunged in. I placed a hand over Durgin’s lips and sharply jerked his foot to awaken him. The sleep left his eyes while the Shawnee was in mid-stream, and he nodded to show he realized we were in danger. Sitting erect, he gently pushed me aside {and took the bow- gun. T warned him not to shoot until the man was very close. ‘ Holding his gun and powder-horn above his head, the Shawnee came on and needed to swim but a few strokes in making the passage. I could see his nostrils dilate and pinch in as he warily worked toward the willows. He gave all the appearance of pos- sessing a sixth sense which was warning him of a hidden danger. -Possibly the concen- irated stare of our eyes told him he was being watched, for the human gaze can cause, even a town-dweller to feel uneasy and glance about. When he was within fifteen feet of us I still pressed a restraining hand on Durgin’s shoulder as he crouched there with the bow- gun in position, with his finger eager to turn a wheel and loose the deadly cord. The 129 questioning eyes of the Shawnee darted up and down and by our hiding-place several times, but each time his field of vision was shortened until at last the head came to a rest and the baleful gaze was fairly centered upon the spot where we were hiding. The canoe was effectually concealed, and we were more securely hidden than was the canoe; and yet he knew an enemy was there before him. He suddenly twisted his head as if attracted by something down-stream, and with his gun ready to shoot took a step as if on the point of leaving us. “Fire!” I ordered. As I said the word the savage whirled about, brought down his gun and pulled the trigger. The piece missed. The twang of the taut cord seemed unusually prolonged. The Shawnee dropped his gun and held his hands grotesque and limp before him. We were astounded to behold the feathered shaft of a long war-arrow protruding from his left side. Down he splashed into the shallows, and red threads radiated over the ripples. It was not until he struck the water that I saw the scarlet splotch on his neck and realized that Durgin’s bolt had passed en- tirely through. The bushes swung apart behind us, and we wheeled to behold the blazing eyes of the Chickasaw. With a grunt he darted into the water and dragged the dead man in under the willows. “‘What medicine did that? What medi- cine spoiled my hunting?” he demanded, pointing at the perforated throat. I pointed to the bow-gun. The Chicka- saw eyed it with reverent respect. I clapped Durgin’s shoulder and said it was his medi- cine. The-Chickasaw said: “They say he has a very strong medicine to help him. They say he uses a wizard’s “The arrow is very short. It passed through the neck. There is magic in it,” I informed him. “The magic should bring it ashore. It will tell things to the man who picks it up,” said the Chickasaw, and he pointed to the bolt drifting down the ripples. I was for recovering the ‘telltale bolt, but the Chickasaw would not permit it. He pointed toward the silent shore and said: “All that walk and crawl and fly have two eyes. How many eyes have the trees, . white mane? You do not know. The Shawnees and Delawares are very near.” COMmMicloo S (©