Adventure Magazine Cover — page 134: what you’re looking at

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

Di GO ee err ae . Se eS SE Pe Ne I pnp ee a tm an Sent me Se aD gh ony — ~~ 132 “You're up to some funny business,” muttered the renegade. “But high talk to me is out of place ina Ute camp. Id see both you’n your friend snagged before I’d let them rub Euclid out. I’m hanging my hat on to help me get lots of gold.” “And I tell you it’s both or neither. The Rabbit will tell Red Crow you lied if it comes toashowdown. Keep shut.” The Rabbit had taken a position opposite to Red Crow, and had Ellis on one side and Euclid on the other. After a few minutes of silence the chief stood up and said: The Walking Dead Man has something to tell us before the smoker of the pipe be- comes a ghost. The Uncompahgre men would not stop to listen to another man. We must listen to the Walking Dead Man. _ He counts the moons of his life on his fin- gers. He is almost-a ghost. Our ears are open.” : After a brief patise the Rabbit rose and began: “A long time ago, Ta-vi—the Sun God— went over the lands of the Uncompahgre Utes by different trails. Sometimes he came too near and burned the grass and dried up the rivers. Sometimes he was lazy and hid in a cave and the land grew cold, and the snow was deep, and the Utes had hard work to keep alive. : “Then Ta-vi came close and burned Ta- wats, the Hare God, who was sleeping on the grass. Ta-wats was angry and fought for a long time with Ta-vi, and beat him. Then Ta-vi said he would stop coming too near and hiding too long in holes, and would cross the land of the Utes by the same trail every day. The Utes know when it will be cold and when it will be warm.” - He paused and Red Crow, puzzled and impatient, stared at him angrily. The Rabbit continued: “They say Ta-vi is waiting until the Un- compahgre Utes lose their strongest medi- cine. Then he will do as he did before Ta-wats beat him. They say he will come too near and burn; then keep so far away that all the mountains will be ice. When the Cheyennes lost their medicine-arrows to the Pawnees they were whipped in battle. They were glad to buy the arrows back with many ponies.’ He ceased speaking and to the surprize of all sat down. -Amazement at the seemingly purposeless speech was quickly ‘replaced by an uneasy See = ees 2 ae oo Pe Adventure suspicion. There was none in the red audi- ence who did not sense the warning and threat thus obliquely expressed. After thirty seconds of silence Red Crow stood up and harshly demanded: “What kind of talk is this for men to hear? Has the Walking Dead Man forgot- ten there is a white man in this camp who will soon be a ghost? ‘Ta-vi keeps in his trail. The Utes have lost no medicine.” The last two sentences evidenced how thoroughly the chief had comprehended the hunter’s veiled warning. The latter now stood up beside his robe and slowly replied: “The hand of Death is always on my shoulder. Each sleep it presses harder. If your medicine-man digs medicine tobacco ashes from a medicine-pipe and scatters it on my toes, he can not hurt me. I have walked close to the Darkening Land. Iam almost in sight of the Black Houses. There is nothing left for me to fear. “T speak with a straight tongue. They say the Uncompahgre Utes have lest a very strong medicine and will be glad to give many ponies to get it back, just as the Cheyennes would give many ponies to buy back their medicine-arrows. They say the Ute strong medicine is not in the medi- cine-lodge.”’ Startled glances were darted around the circle. Anger began to show in each savage countenance. Anger, because the Utes feared the Rabbit spoke the truth. For several minutes none moved from his place or spoke. Then Red Crow leaped to his feet and walked slowly to the medicine- lodge. He walked slowly to conceal the dread now choking his superstitious soul. None offered to accompany; all studiously avoided gazing after him. He entered the lodge and° was out of sight for several minutes. When he emerged it was with great abruptness as if some invisible force had hurled him through the opening. He ran at top speed, and shouted hoarsely, as one who brings word of some terrible disaster. ‘The circle became mo- bile and was on its feet, some running to meet him, others swaying back and forth. Etiquette was forgotten. All seemed to be talking at once. Gesticulating and yelling, those who went to meet Red Crow, now turned back and ran behind and beside him. On arriving at the council place the chief flung both hands high above his head and Gomicbooks.com