Adventure Magazine Cover, June 20, 1925 — page 132: what you’re looking at

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

114 Goss nodded approvingly and indorsed— “Now you Te drawing to: the full strength of your hand. Whip King sternly declared, “Tf I thought he’d done wrong I'd give him up to the authorities.” “I wouldn’t,” replied the gambler. “Now I must go back and tell him about this last wrinkle and arrange for his leaving town. Then the girl must be told.” He reached the grocery store a few minutes before Ellis’ supper time and waited outside. Ellis soon joined him, his counte- nance struggling between worry ‘and delight. “T can’t wait a minute,” was his greeting to Goss. “T’d give a million if I had it if Annie hadn’t come out like this. And yet I never was so homesick in my life for any- thing as I am to see her.”’ “Can’t blame you,” said Goss, “but the game’s getting a little crowded. Too many sitting in. 9 We'll walk along and Ill tell you. HE LED his perturbed compan- ion to the foot of F street where they could have the privacy of the Ss river bank. Nor would the gam- bler talk until'they reached the river. Then he rapidly outlined the new dangers and difficulties, and repeated Whip King’s ad- vice—an immediate departure for Cafion City. , After the first feeling of discouragement Ellis was willing to do anything which might spare his sister trouble. “Can you call on her and explain?” he asked. ‘And arrange for us to meet some- where?”’ The gambler shook his head and firmly insisted: “You must see her and do the explaining. Until that notice appears in the News there’s no more danger of you being recognized in the Broadwell than in the store. You fol- low me in and go right upstairs. Her room is No. to. After twenty minutes Ill come up! If the young lady’s game we’ll pul! out tonight, you two in a light rig and I on my horse. I'll see you through to Cafion City.” - “She'll do anything for me,”’ sighed Elis. “And it’s mighty kind of you to take the bother. I don’t know when I can pay back that hundred.” Goss’ dark face flushed with anger, and he complained: “Always the way. It’s always the woman Adventure who’ll do anything for a man who’s in hard luck.” “But she’s my sister,” reminded Ellis. “Saltpeter! But you’re her brother,” re- plied Goss. ‘‘Kept that in the front of your mind rather than the hundred dollars. It’s for you to be the one who’ll do anything. She’s the one who should be helped. I had a glimpse of her. She doesn’t look much bigger than a drink.” “Good heavens, Nathan! I’d die—any- thing for Annie!’’ passionately cried Ellis. “I suppose so. Most men, brothers, would at a pinch,” mumbled Goss. “I’m out of sorts from missing my supper. You’re all right, Pilgrim. Just working in cap again. But you have the best luck in the world in having a sister. of it with me is my being an only child. Well, let’s not chase deuces into the grave. Each of us cuts open a dog some time or other.’’* They made for the hotel, the gambler de- claring the time to be propitious, as guests would be busy eating supper. They had expected to find the office practically de- serted, but fresh war news had arrived while they were talking by the river and many had gathered from the street to gossip and argue. When the two entered the office they found it lively with excited groups. The gambler nodded toward the stairs and, as Ellis mounted to find his sister, joined a party of disputants. The man standing di- rectly in front of him, back to, was warn- ing: war on.” “Can’t a man express an honest opinion without being called a rebel, Sam Brown?” demanded an angry citizen. Goss did not linger to hear the mar- shal’s reply, but shifted his position to another noisy group closer to the stairs. Brown’s presence was an unexpected dan- ger. He did not know Ellis by sight, but he represented the Law. Goss waited and consulted his watch impatiently. He feared lest Ellis descend and be confronted by the marshal and be asked to give his name and antecedents. At last he was free to run upstairs and to Miss Ellis’ room. He tapped timidly and Ellis’ voice called ont ‘“‘Who’s there?” The voice was uneven and seemed to lack confidence. The gambler gave his name and the door *Early Colorado for “make a mistake,” “be in error.”’ secesh talk here. There’s a COMIGDIOOKSEEO