Adventure, August 3, 1919 — page 183: what you’re looking at

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

wah - 4 .* 2 ~e e ie 9 / “i rt s he ® f ‘j 2 hs 4 ‘4 6 Oreag Se: 4 * > : is —_ yee . . ~ rj : 3 ah hs oa ‘ ' we . | ee Ord Me oe eases | ad : ayes "9 ££ “After that I tried to escape. I told you, eh? “- That cured me—or broke me. I dun- no. Iwas delirious when they brought me back here. I pulled through an’ found all my gear here—more or less—except guns. The other things they thought were magic an’ were scared to interfere with ’em, even the whisky, thank Heaven.” “The whisky?” queried the doctor sharp- ly. “Didn’t they drink that?” ~~ “No, Brought up all, nearly all, my gear except my rifles. Didn’t know what whisky was probably—or thought it was magic stuff.” : “Qh,” commented the doctor. “Um. Um. Isay, how about your medicine-chest? Have you got it still?” - “Oh yes; quinine all finished.” “Um. How about opium?” “Finished, too. You see, old boy, that was rather useful sometimes—when the _ whisky had run out. Gives you sleep at at any rate.” “Got any aconite?”’ Dio.” , “Laudanum?” “Finished, too. Partly for same reason; also had dysentery, y’know. Why?” .. “Why because I don’t intend to provide -@ post-mortem lecture for your witch- doctor friend.” “Oh, well you'll haye twelve moons to _ think it over.” _. “Nonsense.” Warren-Dukely yawned lazily. You'll find out, old boy, same as I did. A year of contemplation sobers you up a bit. What’s it matter after all? I don’t care _ what they do afterward.” “Look here, Dukely; get that out of your mind.” “That’s all right, Doc. You're fresh an’ eager—same as I was then.. I was mad to see a white once more. An’ you’ve given me that. Of course, I’m sorry that you’ll have to pay such a price for my amusement, but, —— it, old man, I didn’t lug you here, did I? I wish you better luck than I’ve had. By the way, you'll find in my effects _ various letters an’ things for my people. _ An’, Doc, if God’s kinder to you than He is to me, I want you not to give away he. e cheap horrors to—to my own people id pals, an’ don’t let the papers get hold »t dancin’ round in hell to make ali ts’ holiday. All details of my * ¥ mS —_ “a re pee ; vi , ee trip an’ notes on customs, particularly the legends an’ practises among our dear — friends here, are together in the canvas- covered book addressed to the R. G. S.” He glanced at the doctor, who was leaning forward, elbows on knees, staring fixedly at embers. “Don’t seem interested, eh, Doc? You're right. Talkin’ rot, ain’t I? I mean, how the blazes ’re you goin’ to get "em out yourself? I tried—all sorts of crazy ideas. “Put notes in bottles an’ chucked ’em in the swamp. Island don’t touch the main stream; of course they stopped there— unless old Surgeon Yamala has found ’em an’ turned ’em into juju medicine or somethin’. Well, I’m goin’ to turn in. Get plenty of rest for the show tomorrow night—or is it today.” He glanced at the moon. ‘No; can’t be more than eleven. Ha! All the theaters comin’ out, eh? Poor old Piccadilly. Recollect that night I was chucked out of the Empire! Ah well— I can give you a dose on the floor, Doc, same as me.” rey “SIT down,” snapped the doctor wee 2s he began to rise from his chair. ——== “I’ve got an idea.” ““Sweet infant! So had I by the dozen. Brilliant ideas every ten minutes. I know.” “Shut up arid sit down!” “All right, old man. I’m not pressed for time. Fire ahead!” “Look here; as far as I can make out from what you tell me and what I’ve seen, we may have a sportin’ chance.” ce rtin’!’’ “Shut up, Dukely! You're fagged. With twelve months of this an’ fever an’ all that your nerves are in a rotten condi- tion, naturally; your constitution’s under- mined, which affects your will. “You see things 3) “See things! Oh my hat!’ “T said see things as they are not. Now try to pull yourself together an’ answer my questions.” “Certainly, old boy. Fire ahead!” ~ “Sit up in your chair with your-head forward and your back stiff, Dukely,” commanded the doctor. “Get that spine- less despair out of your mind—just for five minutes—and I'll give you a tonic that'll buck you up. That’s it! Now! What time exactly do they begin the—the show?” + f 5 oo - ie fa. Ne a - “Eight-thirty; early doors seven!” 4 Ay ~