Adventure Magazine Cover — page 119: what you’re looking at

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

mc ee ie os SS ay. : ~ _S ae hit seater Ri Fe <> Pards was sent here by Goss to sleep. The boys say Goss ran here and warned him to run. So now some are thinking Goss was in the crooked game. The committee is determined to smooth out these bad places.” “Tl be glad to join your committee,” heartily agreed Whip King. “The boy lit out and you say his going looks like he was guilty. That’s why Goss wouldn’t run when he had word from me you was coming. He stayed to face the music. I'll be glad to join your committee if every accused man Is given a square shake.” “Well, you don’t see any ropes and we ain’t waving any guns,” patiently replied Cameron. ‘But if a shot’s fired from that hut we'll blow it plumb to , and the man in it.”’ “You ought to with so big an outfit,” warmly agreed Whip King. “The long and short of it is this—Goss must clear out at once. Nota hand will be raised against him if he goes promptly~”’ Whip King relaxed. The door behind him opened and Goss stepped out, his hands empty. “I never stayed where I am not wanted,” he told the crowd. “I was ready to go after that trouble with Dodge. After he ran away I was made to understand I was welcome to stay. There’s quite a number of cardmen in Oro, Slabtown, and Malta. You won’t drive them all away. You'll want some to stay to give you a play when you feel lucky. As to knowing anything about counterfeit money—that’s a lie. Dm a gambler. That’s the worst any one can say of me. Skillings belonged to the gang passing counterfeit money. I detested the man. If crooked, I won’t travel with such cattle.” ‘The singing waiter killed Skillings last night. You sent him up here to sleep. The boys say you warned him to light out,” explained Cameron. “It’s along of those things, and not because you’re a gambler, that your rooms are wanted in place of your company.” It was on Goss’ tongue to say Rabbit in- duced Ellis to run away, but second thought convinced him he would be making serious trouble for the Indian. For the same reason he refrained from repeating the hunter’s assertion that a white man, but not Ellis, killed Skillings. “‘There’s some two thousand men down - oo = > = - , - ' y al » > - - bh . 117 below who are talking through Cameron,” cried one of the committee. “I’m going,” reminded Goss. “But it’s idiotic for anyone to think the Pilgrim would kill a man and then come back here and go to sleep.” “No one says he went to sleep,” sharply corrected Cameron. “But it would be pretty slick of him to make believe he was asleep. If he’d done that and was found making believe sleep the boys might have been fooled.”’ “Allright. I’m through. I have séveral business matters to attend to and don’t wish to leave until early evening. I suppose that’s satisfactory.” “Any shooting or knifing business?” sus- piciously asked a citizen. Goss shook his head and assured: “Only a quarter interest in a claim that’s refused to pan out. I may find some one, foolish enough to buy it. A few bills to pay and a few debts to collect. Sunrise will not find me here.” “That’s reasonable,” agreed* Cameron. “You should have time to settle your affairs, but be out of the gulch before sunup. We'll pass word below to that effect.” And he turned and led the committee down the slope. “Peace corral again. Heads of cattle all facing out from the circle,’’ murmured Whip King, mopping his head with a red handker- chief. ‘But where’ll you go?” “Canon City. Denver. Don’t know which yet. First I shall go to see She Sing- ing Pilgrim.”’ He rapidly related what the Inclisen had told him. Whip King was apprehensive lest some one from the gulch stumble upon ‘Ellis’ hiding place. The gambler was quite con- fident the Indian had hidden him dis- cretely. “Rabbit and I agree it might be well to smuggle the Pilgrim out of the mountains and back East in your next wagon train.” “That could be done,” readily agreed Whip King. “But I won’t be returning to the River until after the season closes. If he stops singing he can stay in Denver all right. You can write to me at the Broad- well House. If I ain’t there the clerk will send it after me.” “You’re not traveling entirely at random then?’’ remarked Goss. Whip King shook his head. (E(0) 900 MIE <S.CcO