Adventure Magazine Cover, October 30, 1924 — page 71: what you’re looking at

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

South, West and North 61 remained silent, his eyes watching Dias in dulled apathy. Dias turned to the girl, smiling. “Come, sefiorita! Have you no word of greeting for this caballero?’’ He repeated the words in English. Dona Hermana leaned forward and spoke brokenly. ‘Si! Look at zem, sefiorita—one is a fool, and I haf peek you a fine sefior, no?” Less from the uttered words than from the glances that were cast, Hampton com- prehended with a thrill of horror that the speakers were referring to the tall, dark Yaqui, who stood to one side rolling a cigarito. As he understood, Hampton felt a hot wave of blood rise into his face—yet he forced himself to remain silent. Sud- denly Nelly Barnes plunged down on her knees beside the chair of Dofia Hermana, caught the hand of the sefiora, and poured forth a passionate, agonized entreaty. “You’re a woman—you’ll know all it means, you have a heart!”’ she cried desper- ately. ‘You can’t be as bitterly cruel as this monster—I know it’s not your doing! Don’t let them do this, sefiora; he can have my money, anything at all, and I’ll never say a word . Dona Hermana drew her hand from the girl’s frenzied grasp—a slow and deliberate movement which spoke far more than her coolly amused laugh or disdainful words. “Peace, niwa! Go to your man, but leaf me alone.” Nelly Barnes slowly drew back, then rose. Before she could speak, Dias broke in: ‘Tut, tut, young lady! There before you is the man who murdered your father ss Hampton spoke for the first time, and his voice leaped out with a cold and deadly emphasis that seemed to startle Dias. “You lie! Nelly, that man is your father’s murderer. The fact has been proven beyond all doubt. Adam Johnson and others know of it and have cleared me absolutely.” Dias leaped to his feet, with an expression of such savage ferocity that even Doia Hermana leaned aside, watching him with wide eyes. ‘So you're not broken yet, gringol’’ he oried, then flung out his hand to the Yaqui. ‘“‘Take him, Ramon—his scalp is yours ie Ramon lighted his cigaret, then slipped hand to waist and steel glittered. Hampton swiftly weighed his chances and found none—the two rifle-armed guards were close on either side. Then, suddenly, Nelly Barnes leaped forward, flung her arm across his chest protectingly, and gasped out swift words: “No, no! I will do anything you want— I will agree to anything—let him go——”’ Ramon grinned. Dona Hermana uttered a low, musical laugh. Dias stared at the girl, then shrugged his shoulders and re- sumed his seat. “As you will, sefiorita,’’ he said in English. Then, to Ramon, repeating his words in Spanish that both the Yaqui and Nelly Barnes might understand, he continued: “Let this man go free. Give him food and water and a mule. His life has been pur- chased, and the woman is yours.” Ramon put up his knife, a swift gleam in his eye, and spoke a few words in a patois that Hampton did not understand. But Hampton, knowing well enough that this action on the part of Dias was only a de- lusion and a snare, had seized his chance for a word. Nelly Barnes stood close against him, her brown hair brushing his cheek— and though he longed to touch her, to grasp her hand if only for an instant, he refrained, lest the motion draw attention to him. In- stead, he breathed low words which could reach her ear alone. “Tonight, midnight. Be ready. Get out- side if you can.”’ A tremor of her arm as it lay across his chest told him that she understood—then Ramon turned to them, doffed his sombrero ironically, and swept Hampton a bow. ‘“Come with me, sefior, and the order of our master shall be obeyed. Until later, senorita.” Nelly Barnes stood aside, gave Hampton one lightning glance cf perplexity, alarm, startled wonder—then he turned and fol- lowed the Yaqui. The two guards closed in behind him, and he was escorted through the house again, gaining a breath of its cool- ness before stepping out into the blinding white sunlight of the valley. Then, as the door of the building was closed, the two guards put down their rifles and seized Hampton. Swiftly, efficiently, his arms were twisted behind his back and lashed tight; he was given no chance to resist, even had he so desired. Ramon gave the guards a guttural order, then strode away toward the corrals, which were gained by a small bridge over the creek. “Walk to the barracks, gringo,’’ com- manded one of the guards. Comicbooks.c© in