Adventure, August 3, 1919 — page 141: what you’re looking at

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

‘ ” £ ~ @ * : - “wi —- halt a ‘Wasa Savages 131 | md eri sensed DuBeque flung himself up the poop lad ; . illiams said nothing. Perhaps he eque flung hir up the 7 ; Ey trap. It would not have been the der, followed by Williams. ; first time that he walked into danger, fully “Oh, W. W.,” DuBeque called shrilly, suspecting all that was to come and ey ‘here’s eed - a vicious and unpro- or a moment those words seem | coat ee 4 smother the lips of all who heard: the The nightly gaiety on the Bebe floated in quick silence of surprize, and no movement Gricaicine cet ai sportive cries to the but the turning of heads and craning of boat that was slowly approaching, and shad- necks. Then all edged nearer, gaping vul- ows glided and drifted under the brilliantly ture-eyed to look upon the man who had lighted awning. almost become a legend in the South . “Grogan?” called a heavy voice ina kind _ Seas. of subdued tone as the boat drew near. He seemed to fill the part that rumor gave ‘*¥ez, Som,” him: naked, fierce-eyed, short-bearded, with “Ts DuBeque with you?” hair unevenly, carelessly cut short. And he “I’m here,” DuBeque called loudly, “and _ stood firm-footed, legs apart, like a statue of r so is Williams!” bronze. Every muscle was tense, and the Jackson said something loud but indis- body, though not huge, or even big, was tinct—something like an oath of surprize gnarled with the knotted muscles which that struggled out in spite of himself. were supple and smooth enough in his Williams scrambled up the ladder swiftly quieter moods. 3 as a monkey runs up a vine. Less rapidly, He was hedged about. The women, low- but helped by eagerness, DyBeque came waisted, in flimsy gowns of rainbowed silk, after. gaped tipsily, and the men in those gro- As Grogan put his hand to theladder, the tesque attitudes of surprize and drunken- Samoan sailor spoke to him, and the mate ness stared through frog-lidded eyes and stopped to listen in amazement. with mouths dropped. . ‘*Williams?”’ said the loud-voiced Jackson. Then Willerby, drunk but scarcely show- Williams stopped, and his eyes flashed on ing it, for like a barrel—the more solid . Jackson’s bearded face. when filled—he seemed physically im- “You don’t remember me?” pervious to wine in any quantity, roughly : “No,” said Williams gruffly, abruptly. shoved his way through. And on his arm . “Just as well,” Jackson replied. “I came Lania, forgetting the pose of tipsiness * never hold a grudge ’gainst a better man which was nightly assumed to account for “—_ than me.” ‘Then, lowering his face, he the glasses she managed to pour overboard. added swiftly: “I don’t know why you Inside the circle she slipped from his arm come. But look out!” : and stepped back, crowding against those And Jackson turned with a cheerful behind her, sensing danger, seeing it, since greeting to give DuBeque a hand over the her eyes were clear, in that bronzed body ~ freeboard. that stood as if cast from molten metal to ‘ “Aye, Skipper, wan woird wid yez,” convey the great artist’s idea of a dangerous x Grogan called up. man at bay. - “What is it, Grogan?” Jackson answered Such refinement of perception was denied down. the fume-blurred eyes about her, for Du A “Oi'll bay r-right up,” and Grogan came Beque was as drunk with pride as any | fast, and Jackson waited. But DuBequeand other man with wine, and Jackson, who had Williams had gone aft at once. quietly come up the ladder, was some dis- On the poop there was that noise which tance away and at Williams’ back. passes for gaiety. The seven or eight peo- Willerby swelled out, planted both hands ¥ ple who made up Willerby’s guests were on his hips and glared. The great mo- _ drinking and dancing. Existence on the ment was at hand. His sycophants were __ Bebe would have been intolerable without about him, waiting to listen. the elixir of heady wine, not so much be- But, before Willerby spoke, Williams did. ~ cause they loved the wine—though they did He had been long ago, or long as time is j that, too—as because of the insufferable valued in such a crisis, disillusioned. His re ennui which only the inspiriting grape voice was hard and cold. “* ee : ~ ‘ | Fe —— +. 28 P {= ‘ os i ~ ee ™ ;: a % = _ - phe >. —~r comicbooks.com