Adventure Magazine Cover — page 44: what you’re looking at

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

42 “You was talkin’ with Miss Taylor just a minute or so before yuh got shot, eh?” Oyster Shell had an idea. “Ves, d) “What's ‘that got to do with it?” de- manded Johnny. “Aw, let’s go and get a drink,” suggested Oyster. “Jimmy is all right. How about yuh, Jimmy?” “T’m fine,” replied Jimmy. “Except that my feet don’t track and there’s a ton of rocks on my head—I’m as good as ever.”’ They moved out of the hotel and headed for the Oasis, where Jimmy was the center of attraction. Le Moyne and Dug Haley were there. Johnny introduced them to Hashknife and Sleepy, and they all drank to the poor aim of some bushwhacker. After a few more drinks the AK boys de- cided to go home. Jimmy’s head was both- ering him, and Johnny Grant decided that a bunk was the best place for Jimmy Legg. Before they left, the sheriff and deputy bustled in, having just heard of the shoot- ing, and wanted a detailed account of it. “Aw, whatsa use?” wailed Eskimo. “Somebody popped Jimmy on the head with a bullet, and that’s all there is toit. Unless petrification sets in, he’ll be able to fall off a horse agin’ tomorrow—as usual. C’mon.” And the sheriff was obliged to get his in- formation from those who knew as much about it as the AK boys did. He went back to his office with Al Porter, and they sat down to discuss it. “Well, who do yuh think tried to kill the tenderfoot?”’ queried Porter. “Tf we didn’t have three men in jail, facin’ a charge of holdin’ up a train, I’d say that this here Legg person was the fourth one of the gang, and that some of ’em tried to bump him off for somethin’.”’ “Well, Ill be ——!” snorted Porter. “Tf we can’t hang it on to the Taylor gang, that might be worth workin’ on, Scotty. But who are these two strange cowpunchers who rode in with the AK gang tonight? Johnny Grant acts kinda friendly with b) em.”’ “T don’t know, Al. I reckon IJ’ll hit the hay. Tomorrow we hold a hearin’ for the Taylor gang, and we'll see what we'll see. You better feed that dog before yuh go to bed, or he might mistake old Judge Parkridge for a strip of jerky. —— knows, he looks like one.” W. C. TUTTLE CHAPTER IX COMPLICATIONS HE Taylor hearing was more or ey fag| less of a farce, but it left Apos- | Hs! tle Paul, Buck and Peeler, the eee) half- breed, high and dry in the Blue Wells jail until the next term of court. Old Judge Parkridge, near-sighted, more than slightly deaf, a mummified old jurist, set their bail at one thousand dollars cash, each—bail which no one would furnish. There was no evidence against them, ex- cept the fact that they had the dog, and that they could not prove that they had spent the night on Yellow Horn Mesa. So they were formally charged with train rob- bery and held until the next session of court, which would not be held for three weeks. Apostle Paul Taylor cursed the judge, who could not hear it, and went back to the jail, followed by Buck and Peeler. Marion was broken-hearted, but did not show it. She sat down in the sheriff’s office and tried to reason out just what todo. The Double Bar 8 could not afford to hire men, and she could not do the work alone. The sheriff did not try to solace her. He was tongue-tied in her presence. Then Tex Alden showed up. He had not been at the hearing, but had been told all about it. “That’s sure tough, Marion,” he told her. “ll tell yuh what I’ll do—I’'ll send some of my men down to run the ranch for yuh, and it won’t cost yuh a cent.” “No, thank you, Mr. Alden.” Tex colored quickly. It was the first time she had ever called him “Mr. Alden.” ‘“‘Why, what’s the matter?” he asked quickly. “What have I done?” “You know what you did,” she retorted. “Please don’t bother yourself about my af- fairs.” Tex stared at her wonderingly. “Well, for gosh sake!” he blurted. “Hm-m-m-m! Whatsa matter now?” But Marion turned away from him and stared out through one of the dirty win- dows. Tex whistled softly and walked out- side. He stopped, turned, as if to go back, but changed his mind and went on up the street, whistling unmusically between his teeth, his brow furrowed. Lee Barnhardt, the lawyer, was coming from his office, and met Tex in front of the general store. DOOLK (©