Adventure Magazine Cover — page 132: what you’re looking at

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

130 “This must be talked.” The Utes pressed closer and Red Com harshly warned: : ‘Only death can stop the bad medicine from hurting us. Does the Walking Dead man forget he hunts game in our country and we are his friends? Does he now hunt for Death, knowing he must soon die?’”’ “He can not die until after new grass grows again,” quietly replied the Rabbit. ‘He has said he would be with his people on a day named. Until that day he comes and goes like a ghost and can not be hurt. Let him talk with the white man alone. It is bad to smoke a medicine-pipe when not making medicine for the Utes, but the talk With the white man will be short. Red Crow’s men are near.” The Rabbit’s position among the moun- tain Indians was unique. He wasa hostage to Death. He would be claimed by Death in the coming summer. For a man, white or red, to anticipate the sentence-day would be to invoke the hostility of Death. Red Crow glanced at his followers and read a surly acquiescence in their eyes. He bowed his head and tossed a pebble forty.feet away to indicate where the Rabbit should briefly confer with the prisoner. The Rabbit knew Euclid had no suspicion that the blame was shifted to Ellis. He was -surprized when Ellis, not himself, was mo- tioned to step aside. Goss was worried, although understanding nothing of the brief talk between the hunter and the chief. He started to follow his friend. Red Crow sternly ordered him back. The Rabbit, in- stead of interpreting, announced: “He shall stand by his friend while I talk.” Lomsom started to join them, fear- ing the Rabbit would reveal his duplicity, but the hunter in English warned him: back. You have talked enough. But be ready to help. One shall not die alone.” “See here!” Euclid demanded of the rene- gade. “What’sall this talk about? They’re not planning any mischief to that fellow, are they? Are they still yapping about that pipe? I said I smoked it. What of it?” “Shut up! I’m trying to save your hide. That’s what it’s about. That young fool rode a medicine-pony and the Indian hunter is trying to save his pelt,’”’ hoarsely growled Lomsom. Sr owe ee ae Fae ES Same, Be er Be Sag ee Se Adventure “You make sure the three of us get clear of this muss or your gold diggings won't do you any good,” warned Euclid, for he was far from satisfied with the renegade’ S ex- planation. “Remember you can’t tell silver from lead, nor gold from iron pyrites. It’s my Clear, dry process or nothing.” Lomsom savagely muttered the white man’s oaths and stared dubiously at the three men now halting to confer. The Rabbit began to talk by abruptly saying to Ellis: “You are in bad trouble. Some sha- man laid down a blue path for you, and you followed it into the medicine lodge. It was very bad to go in. It was death to touch things.”’ Ellis felt ill and weakly defended. “I never thought to fetch it away. You or- dered us out so sharp I didn’t think to put it back.”’ “For ’s sake, what’s ali this about?” fiercely asked Goss, The Rabbit stared curiously at Ellis and noted the furtive move of a hand to a coat pocket. He murmured: “You are blamed for smoking the medi- cine-pipe. That’s very bad busimess. What do you mean by bringing something away?” ‘The little stome doll. I was looking at it when you told us to quit that place. I was so mixed up I Geapped it in my pocket.” ‘The tribal medicine of the | Utes!” hissed the hunter. “You have taken that away?” “In my pocket now,” mumbled Ellis. With a little gesture of despair the Rabbit said— “Even Ouray couldn’t save you!” “Hold on!” cried Goss. ‘I take it the Pilgrim has made a fool play. But Pm backing him to the limit. I can still bite. Those redskins may rake in the pot, but it’ll cost them a lot of chips.” He slipped a hand inside his coat. “You have not the red mind. You do not understand,”’ said the Rabbit. “If you have a pistol hidden under your coat, save a bullet for your friend and one for yourself.” Then he reverted to the phraseology of the Cherokee shamans and softly lamented: ‘“‘Hle had stepped over his own soul. He has put it under the earth to be covered with a black rock. He is nearer the Dark- ening Land than I am. He will enter Gomicbooks.com