Adventure Magazine, December 10, 1924 — page 141: what you’re looking at

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

Cinders more cold bottles; and he was not averse to taking most anything of value. THE telegraph instrument did not Seige amuse Alicia for long. She was un- able to decipher anything it said, because it clicked too fast; so she sank down in a deep, leather chair, picked up her book and began reading. The air off the desert was like a blast from a furnace. Two elec- tric fans droned softly, but did little more than stir up the heat. In his own end of the car, where an ice box and other luxuries of private-car life were carried, Moses Jones, an elongated, shuffling son of Ham, proceeded to uncork two more bottles. Mose was immaculate, but very moist. Mose picked up his tray, containing glasses and the two cold bottles, stepped into the corridor just in time to feel the swift jab of Soup’s automatic into his white- clad ribs. Mose almost telescoped under the strain, and he elevated his tray until the bottles almost hit the ceiling. “Vuh—yuh—yessah!”’ grunted Mose. “Yeah, bo!” replied Soup. ‘“Squeak once and you’re done.” ‘“‘N-n-nosah,”’ whispered Mose. ‘““Vessir,”’ nodded Soup. ‘Move on, nig- ger.”’ Straight into the privacy of the Steele family came Mose and Soup; and the first hint of something wrong was when one of the bottles fell from its dizzy height, landed in the middle of the cardtable and shot it’s agitated contents into the face of James Worthington Steele. “What the ?” Thus said James Worthington Steele, pawing the suds out of his eyes. It was then that Mose Jones side-stepped and gave them an unobstructed view of Soup Lannigan, who was enjoying himself hugely. “Don’t yelp,” advised Soup coldly. “‘C’mere, you!”’ He meant Alicia. She came. The com- bination of automatic and Soup’s face was enough to cow any one. Alicia sank into one of the seats and stared at Soup. “Kinda pretty,” observed Soup appreci- atively. ‘Gimme the sparks, kid. You too—”’ turning to Mrs. Steele—‘‘hand over them rings. Shell out your money and make it fast. I ain’t got all day. C’mon! What the do yuh think this is; a lecture?” 119 They shelled. Soup held out his battered cap for the spoils and his eyes glittered. The hunting was much better than he anticipated. Mose Jones rolled his eyes and leaned against the wall, while his legs fairly twitched for a chance to run. Far down the line the engine whistle signaled for the rear flagman to come in. Soup backed toward the rear door, his auto- matic covering the two men and two women. ““T’anks, folks,” he said. “T’ll be on me way now.” He laughed mockingly and backed into a man, who had come through the rear door, filling the passageway with his bulk. Soup spun around, tried to use his automatic, but this hulk of a man tore it from his hand, threw it out of the window and proceeded to mop up the open space with the luckless Soup. Soup was no coward. He had fought many fights; but this fat person; who wore flapping leather chaps, spurs and a heavy belt, did not give him a chance. The cap, which contained the loot, went flying under a chair, when Slim Simpson got Soup by the legs, handling him lke a wheelbarrow, and rammed him viciously into the under- pinning of a heavy chair. Soup went limp. Slim tossed Soup’s legs aside, as if he had no further use for them, and stared at Alicia. Came the “bump” of some one boarding the car, and Sadie came in. Her face was streaked with dust, but in her eyes was a great resolve. She wasn’t going to lose Slim Simpson, not without a battle. Slim gawped at her and waved his arms weakly. ‘“‘Huh—hello, Sadie,” he panted, and then turned to the dazed Alicia. ‘““You—you tell her,”’ he said dramatical- ly, pointing at Sadie. ‘You tell huh-her about that wink. Hurry up, can’tcha?” ‘“‘The—that wink?” faltered Alicia won- deringly. “You winked at me?” queried the per- spiring Slim. “Back there at the depot, you winked.” ‘“At your”’ Alicia shook her head. ‘No. I—I didn’t. It was a cinder in my eye.” ‘Now, yuh see?” Slim was triumphant. ‘Do yuh see se But just at that moment Soup Lannigan decided that it was a mighty good time for him to leave. He jumped to his feet, knocked Sadie aside and darted out of the rear door. CoOMmicbhook © 5}