Adventure Magazine Cover — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

THE BUCKAROO OF BLUE WELLS yesterday,” said Porter. ‘Wonder where in —— he got so much money. He don’t own that X Bar 6.” “Don’t he?” “He sure as —— don’t. It belongs to an Eastern outfit.” “Well, I don’t care a ——,”’ said Scotty. He had enough worries of his own to think about. He smoothed his buffalo-horn mus- tache and almost wished he weren’t the sheriff of Blue Wells. Tex Alden left his horse and started across the street toward a store, when Lee Barn- hardt called to him from the door of his office. Tex turned and went over to the door of the lawyer’s office, where Barn- hardt was standing. “T just wondered if you wasn’t coming to see me, Tex,’’ smiled Barnhardt. The big cowboy blinked, wondering just why he should make it a point to see Barn- hardt that day. “Why, I dunno,” he faltered. thought of it, Lee.” The lawyer motioned Tex into the office and closed the door. He sat down at his desk, filled his pipe carefully, scratched a match on the sole of his shoe, and puffed ex- plosively. Then he sagged back in his chair and looked at Tex with an approving “Hadn't n. “T’ll give you credit for a clean job, Tex,” he said, lowering his voice confidentially. “A —— clean job.” “Yeah?” Tex scratched his chin. what is it, Lee?”’ “What is it?’ The lawyer leaned for- ward, the smoke curling lazily from his nos- trils. ‘Oh, now, Tex! We're friends, you know.” “All right,” grinned Tex. I supposed to saye”’ “Tt isn’t what you say—it’s what you do. My mouth is shut tight, except between us, Tex. And don’t forget that I was the one who told you where to get it.” The big cowboy studied Lee Barnhardt, a puzzled frown between his brows. “Go ahead and talk about it, Lee,’ he said. Barnhardt’s shrewd eyes appraised the foreman of the X Bar 6. He knew Tex was not a man you could scare or drive. He would have to go easy, at least until he knew just what Tex meant todo. Then— “You owe me eight thousand dollars, Tex,” he said. “Just “And what am 23 “And a swell chance you’ve got of col- lectin’ it.” “Oh, I dunno, Tex. Anyway, I’ll be sat- ished with the eight thousand. It ought to be more, but I can take the eight thou- sand with a clear conscience, because I’m not supposed to know where it comes from.” ‘Would yuh mind repeatin’ that?’ asked Tex evenly. ‘“‘No need of that, Tex. You know what Imean. There were two or three men with you last night. I realize that they have to get their share, but even at that—well, as I said before, I'll take the eight thousand and call it square.”’ Tex got to his feet and walked back to the door, where he turned and looked at Barn- hardt, who had also stood up, leaning across his desk. ‘“‘T reckon you’ve gone loco, Lee,’’ he said softly. “I dunno what yo’re talkin’ about —and I don’t reckon you do either.”’ “The , I don’t,” rasped the lawyer. “Tf you think you can cut me out of that Santa Rita pay-roll, you’re crazy. It was done on my information, and you’ll come clean with me, or you'll find just how —— high a fee I can charge.” Tex blinked at him, a puzzled expression in his eyes. Then he turned on his heel and left the office, while Barnhardt stopped at the window and watched Tex walk slowly across the street to the Oasis, where he stopped and glanced back toward the office, before going into the saloon. Barnhardt was mad. In fact, he was almost mad enough to go to the sheriff and tell him that Tex Alden knew that the Santa Rita pay-roll was coming in on that train. But he was not quite mad enough to do that. There would be plenty of time for that, in case Tex could not be induced to make a split. Barnhardt put on his hat, yanked it down on his head, forcing his ears to flare out, and headed for the sheriff’s office, intending to find out what the sheriff had in mind. He was nearing the Blue Wells General Merchandise Store entrance, when four men came out. Three of them were the boys from the AK, but the fourth one was a stranger. Every article of his apparel shrieked of newness. His sombrero was the biggest they could find in town, and was surmounted with a silver-studded band. His robin’s-egg-blue shirt was of flimsy silk, his overalls new; and GOMIIGIOO SS (C@