Adventure Magazine Cover — page 56: what you’re looking at

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

o4- that ain’t the only job they ever cleaned up. There’s.a lot more behind that one, and I’ll betcha they’ve not been idle since then. I’m wonderin’ what they’re doin’ here.”’ “Perhaps they’re working on that train robbery.” “Pshaw, that might be it. I'll buy a drink, Barnhardt.” On his way back to the office Barnhardt met Le Moyne. ‘“‘What ever happened to that detective the Santa Rita was going to put on that robbery?” asked Barnhardt. Le Moyne smiled. ““Why, I guess the company didn’t think it was worth while, as long as you folks had jailed some one for doing the job.” Barnhardt laughed softly, knowingly. “That’s all right, Chet. But when you hire detectives, why don’t you get men whose reputations are not so well known?” Le Moyne looked him over coldly. “‘What do you mean, Lee?” “Oh, I respect your secrecy. But really, Hartley and Stevens are too well known to do much good.”’ : “Ehe” Le Moyne frowned heavily. “Those two men at the Taylor ranch?” “Sure. The two best man hunters you could have hired. But it’s a case of them being too well known.” ““Yeahr” Le Moyne smiled thinly. “Too well known, eh? But don’t blame me—lI’m not the Santa Rita company.” “That’s true.” “Personally, I know nothing about their reputation, Lee.” “You don’t? Well, I don’t know very much, but I do know that they’ve never lost a case. I’d hate to have them on my trail.” ‘“Well,”’ Le Moyne shrugged his shapely shoulders, “it seems as though we had hired two very good men, Lee.”’ “You have.” Barnhardt laughed and grew confidential. ‘““Tex Alden is as sore as a boil. He didn’t want them two men to stay at the ranch. He intended to run the ranch himself.” “He did, eh?’ Le Moyne scowled. “Yeah, I suppose he would. I’m glad he missed out on that. And I’m glad the sheriff and the railroad detective had to make that arrest. It rather lets me out of any blame in the matter, you see.”’ “Certainly.” “‘They’ve got plenty of help at the Double W. C. TUTTLE Bar 8,” said Barnhardt, after a pause. “That tenderfoot, Jimmy Legg, who was at the AK ranch, has volunteered his ser- vices. Tex sure is sore at him.” “Sore at Legg? What for?” “Well, Tex thinks Marion pays too much attention to Legg.” ‘Well, does she?”’ “I don’t know, Chet. She calls him Jimmy, and he calls her Marion.” “Does, eh? Say, Lee, where did that fel- low come from?” ‘““Nobody seems to know. He tramped in here the night of the hold-up. He. said the train passed him. I can’t quite figure him out. I’ve talked with Scotty Olson and Al Porter about him, and they’re not quite sure what he is. He’s not a bad looking fel- low, and I think he has a way with women.” ‘‘What do you mean by that?” ‘Well, you know, Chet; sort of a way of talking.” ‘““Yea-a-ah, I guess I know what you mean,” sighed Le Moyne. “T’ll see you later, Lee.” Barnhardt went back to his office, glow- ing with the self satisfaction that comes to men who love to gossip. Le Moyne met Goode at the Oasis, and Goode was carry- ing just a little too much liquor. Goode happened to be extolling Hashknife and Sleepy to the bartender, who evidently didn’t care a bit about it. “T tell yuh, they’re invin-shi-ble,” he de- clared. ‘‘Bes’ pair of two-handed fighters on earth. Betcha odds, tha’s what'll do.” “Hello, Plenty,” said Le Moyne. Goode goggled at Le Moyne. ““Hlowza paymashter? Whatcha usin’ f’r money these days, Chet?” ““Good yellow gold, Plenty. What do you want to bet on?” “Don’t get him started,” advised the bar- tender. “He’s drunk. Wants to bet odds that Hartley and Stevens will find the men who robbed your pay-roll.” Le Moyne laughed and bought a drink for every one at the bar. “T’m tellin’ yuh,” declared Goode. “ ’F they was after me, I’d run like ——, and pray every jump.” ‘“‘Bad men, eh?” asked Le Moyne, laugh- ing. ‘“‘Wors’ you ever sheen! Gun-shootin’ mind-readers. Yesshir. Oh, you’ll shee.” He pointed a wavering finger in the di- rection of the bartender. DOOLK C@