Adventure, August 3, 1919 — page 176: what you’re looking at

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

166 Adventure explain!” The beard waggled slowly as if in regretful dissent. “I am eel lied the doctor frantically, “Englishman. Doctor. I’m lost. Help!’ The man took two paces, stopped, and spoke incomprehensible words. “No! no!” screamed the doctor. “Speak English! Parlez francais!” He could see the beard move as if the man were talking to himself. Suddenly the fellow stooped, picked up a glowing fire- brand and slowly walked toward the gate. “God, he thinks I’m a gorilla,” muttered the doctor and involuntarily brought up his rifle. “For God’s sake, speak, man!’’ he yelled. “I’m real, I tell you! I’m a white man!” The bearded man in full evening dress with a firebrand in his hand stopped abruptly and stared toward the fence. “A white man!” he exclaimed. ‘Where? Oh, my God, where?” “Here! Here! I’m lost! Let me in! I’m lost!” The man hesitated, moved as if to throw away the brand, arrested his arm and stooped again to peer at the fence. “Who and what are you?” he demanded. “Are you real—or am I:crazy? Speak!” “No. No. I’m real!’ shouted the doctor. “T’m English, I tell you.” THE man appeared satisfied, for he threw away the firebrand and advanced with long eager strides ~ toward the gate, wrenched up the balks of. timber and then, as if suddenly suspicious, leaped backward clear of the entrance. The doctor walked through, took off his hel- met and held out his hand. “How d’you do, sir! I’m Herdwether.” The big man gazed down at him and placed a hand to his forehead perplexedly. “T suppose it’s all right,”’ he mumbled. “ if 1 know. Er—how d’you do!”” He touched the extended hand perfunctorily. “T—er—don’t quite understand—yet. You said—are you a white man?” “Yes, yes,” said the doctor soothingly. “White, I assure you. English doctor, y know. I—er—lost my way and—and saw Lig fire; so I just came along.” at @) aa The eyes were still regarding him rather like a-great child, uncertain as to whether the visitor was a tramp or an angel. “My name’s Herdwether—Borden Millar Herdwether. I’m here on a commission, y'know. Forgive me, I haven’t the pleas- ure ”» “Eh? ~Oh.” Gazing incredulously, the man shook his | as if trying to throw off an illusion, ing Er—I'm Dukely—Warren-Dukely, y’know. “What! Warren-Dukely, the explorer?” exclaimed the doctor in astonishment. The man giggled, throwing back his head, “I beg your pardon!” he added more rationally. “Not at all,” said the doctor. “Not at all. Er—I wonder if you’d mind if we sit down? J—er—I'm rather fagged out,” “Fagged out, what?” The words ap- peared to act as a restorative. “I say, I’m awfully sorry. Of course! Come along.” He started off toward the fire, stopped abruptly and, murmuring, “For- gotten the door, old boy!” hurried back and readjusted the balks. The doctor waited for him, trying to catch a glimpse of the face. The man re- turned with great eager strides and to the doctor’s amazement caught him by the shoulders and spun him around face to the moon. “Good God Almighty!” he exclaimed. “That’s good!” He dropped him as sud- denly. “I say, I beg your pardon! You must forgive me, I—er—I'm a little off my chump, y'know. I—well, as a matter of fact, I haven’t seen a white man for years. I don’t know. I—but come and sit down.” He strode forward to the hut, his swallow tails flirting in the moonlight, and emerged, dragging another camp-chair. “Sit down, old man. By the way, I didn’t quite catch? Herwether?”’ “Herdwether,” said the doctor, sitting, and he almost giggled as he saw the man pice up his tails as he sat as if he were ina club. Dukely still stared a little incredulously. The doctor observed in»the fire-glow the gauntness of the cheek-bones and the sunken eyes. Embarrassed, he looked at the fire, thinking— “He can’t be quite crazy if he knows it, but what on earth is he dressed for!’ Conscious of the eyes devouring him, he sat still, considerately waiting for his host to speak. _ “My God, it’s good to see you!” exclaimed Dukely at length. ‘I—d’you know I heard comicbooks.com