Adventure Magazine Cover — page 43: what you’re looking at

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

THE BUCKAROO OF BLUE WELLS “T heard that shot,” said the proprietor of the hotel. “I thought it was somebody just makin’ a noise. Say, I seen that young feler talkin’ to Miss Taylor not five minutes ago. They was just outside the door there.” “To Miss Taylor, eh?” Johnny blinked at the lamp. “Is she here now?” The commotion in the office attracted Marion’s attention, and she was standing in the hallway door when Johnny spoke. “I’m here,” she said. “What do you want of me?”’ The cowboys removed their hats, as Johnny went toward her. “You was talkin’ with Jimmy Legg a few minutes ago?” he asked. “Why yes.”’ She was unable to see the man on the floor. “Well, he got shot,” said Johnny bluntly. “Shot?” Marion jerked forward. “Did somebody—not dead?”’ “He ain’t badly hurt, ma’am,” said Hashknife. “The doctor will fix him up in no time.” Marion came forward to where she could see. Her face was white and her two hands were clenched tightly, as she looked at Jimmy Legg, stretched on the floor. “Why, I just left him a minute or so ago,” she whispered. “Where did it happen?” “Jist out in the street,” replied Johnny. “By ——,, I want to find the jasper that shot the poor devil!” “Tf yuh do, don’t keep it to yourself,” growled Eskimo. Marion stopped at the desk, bracing her- self with one hand. “Who would shoot him?” wondered Eskimo. “He wouldn’t hurt anybody. If it had been one of us—” “That would be justified,” finished Johnny Grant. Jimmy Legg lifted his head and stared around, blinking his eyes. “What was it?” he whispered. “Somebody took a shot at yuh,” said Johnny quickly. Jimmy Legg felt of his head. “Hit me, didn’t they?” At this moment the doctor arrived, or- dered them to carry Jimmy to a room, and proceeded to fix up the wound. Marion insisted on helping him, and Jimmy blinked his gratitude. “Did you see the man who shot at you?” asked Marion. AI “T never knew I was shot, until I woke up, Marion. You had just gone into the hotel, and I started te:cross the street, when I saw a big flash, like an explosion. But I never heard the noise.” The doctor washed and sewed up the wound. It was a painful proceeding, but Jimmy gritted his teeth and did not make a sound. “You better get a room here at the hotel and go to bed,” advised the doctor. But Jimmy refused. “T’m all right,” he insisted. “Tt aches a little, but not enough to put me in bed. Gee, it sure knocked me out!” ‘And you’re lucky to be alive,” said the doctor, packing his kit-bag. “An inch further to the right, and you’d have no top on your head right now.” The crowd was just outside the door, waiting for the doctor to finish, and they crowded in, hardly giving the doctor a chance to wiggle his way out into the hall. Jimmy held out his hand to Marion, disre- garding the clamoring cowboys. “Thank you,” he said. ‘It was nice of you to stay with me.” Marion colored slightly, and her reply was drowned in Johnny Grant’s greeting. “Hyah, Topknot! Howsa head, Jimmy?” “Don’t jiggle me!” laughed Jimmy. “My face is so tight I can hardly laugh.” “Don’t laugh,” advised Eskimo. ‘Now who do yuh know that might hate yuh enough to shoot yuh, Jimmy?” : Jimmy frowned painfully at the floor, and when he looked up he caught: Mar- ion’s eye. Tex Alden’s threat came back to him— “The Blue Wells country is sure damp for your kind.” Jimmy tried to smile, but it was only a grimace. “TI dunno,” he said slowly. “I haven’t had any trouble with any one here, except that day I accidently shot at the sheriff and the lawyer.” “But that was an accident,” said Johnny. “Nobody blames yuh for that. Somebody wanted to kill yuh, kid.” “Maybe,” faltered Jimmy, “they mistook me for somebody else.” As Jimmy spoke he was looking at Marion, and he switched his eyes to Hash- knife, who was watching him closely. The eyes of the tall cowboy seemed to bore into him, and Jimmy turned away. COnmiclbool (C@