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 PENNSYLVANIA LINE “He won’t do it,”’ opined Maine. “‘And ye can’t exactly blame him,” added Riddle. ‘“ ’Tain’t good politics to ask a man to hang his own godfather.” “And I suppose we ave going to hang ’em?” asked Dockstader doubtfully. ‘“‘Why, some one said as how that was the penalty for tampering with the loyalty of the troops,’”’ said Bannock, looking around the table. “Well, let’s do it out of hand, then!” Maine spoke with nervous impatience. “And get the danged business over with!” “Good Lord, we can’t do that!’ vetoed Barstow. 7 “’Twouldn’t be good politics,” agreed Riddle. “Losh, why not?” asked Bannock. “‘They’re nothing but Britishers!”’ “Yes, and Clinton would make it an ex- cuse to string up a dozen or so of our men, who are prisoners in their hands,” pointed out Barstow. “Golly, I’d forgot that!” said Maine so- berly. Bannock drew a red mate to Holtzburg’s handkerchief, and wiped his face. “Lord, whatever we do we got to be mighty careful!” he perceived. There was a silence, heavy with their un- certainty. They were like men playing chess for the first time. They had been told what the moves were, and were just begin- ning to guess what manifold combinations and ingenious strategies a seasoned player might be making therewith. And in Clin- ton, they had an antagonist familiar to in- stinct with every convention of the game, although he could hardly be called a player of marked ability. | “Look a-here,”’ said Barstow, when five minutes more of futile discussion had lagged by, “we’re in a tight fix, and whatever we do we’re going to think it’s wrong after it’s done. Let’s send the prisoners, along with these here precious documents, over to the manse, and ask young Farquar and Captain Ryan to take charge of ’em, till Wayne comes back.”’ “And then he’ll know how to deal with ’em proper!’ concluded Riddle with en- thusiasm. ‘“That’s the billet!” Relievedly the sergeants gathered up the scattered deeds and torn proclamation, and passed them to Barstow, who tied them into a packet, which he delivered to Maine. AI “Take ’em along, Johnny,” he ordered. “And take an extra guard with ye. Them Allens, royal red or true blue, are slippery as elm!” ‘“They’re all that,” agreed Maine, and then saluted as he left the room. A second or two later, his figure passed the window on the way to the guard-house. “T reckon this better be burnt, like Ethan Allen says,’ considered Barstow, and he tore the letter to ribbons, which he held, one after another, in the flame of the candle. “By jinx!’ ejaculated Dockstader, watch- ing the strips writhe and blacken, while he followed up a previous train of thought. “TI wouldn’t walk in a general’s boots for any- thing ye could offer me!” “Me neither!’ agreed Riddle. “I never guessed until this week how blamed hard it is to issue orders.” “It’s a sure sight easier to obey ’em,” said Bannock. “I can see that plain enough now.” “Dey must be loony, like,” thought Holtz- burg, “who go about scheming and plotting to get der command.” “T reckon Fallen has had his bellyful, for one while,” said Riddle, “with the way things have come out for him and his god- father.” “Glory be, but I wish Anthony’d come back!’ complained Barstow, suddenly drop- ping the last flaming shred on to the table top. ‘‘Now, what took that blamed candle, to make it gutter thataway? It ’most burnt my thumb off!” ‘“‘He must ’a’ been madder’n usual,” judged Riddle critically, “to go off and leave us alone, at a time like this.” ‘“‘Where the d’ye suppose he’s got to?” inquired Bannock. “‘Here,”’ said Wayne, throwing wide the door, “after some little hard riding.” The board rose to a swift attention as he strode in upon them, sweat white upon his boots, his chin up, and his eyes sparkling with cold, vigor and vivacity. As he swept a mocking, ominous glance about the table, and drew in his breath for a culmination, the two colonels, followed by Van Kuren, stepped quietly into the background, shut- ting the door on the cold without. ‘““You’re an impious, impertinent, insub- ordinate crew!’ Wayne announced flatly. “And now it would be very like your im- pudence to ask me where I have been!” comicloolk CO