Adventure, August 3, 1919 — page 184: what you’re looking at

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

"Ai "se ot : ] 174 Adventure wales 1% ied, “Don't be a —— fool, Dukely. I’m My hairy’aunt!” Dukely leaped to his feet | serious.” “Sorry, old boy; thought it was a joke!” “Well, what time? Before sunset or after?” “At the rising of the moon. But what that’s got to——” “Shut up and listen! drinking immediately?” “You bet they do!” “Good. What's the beer keptin? Large calabashes?”’ Ves”? “Where?” “All over the place. Mostly near the tree.”’ “When do they bring the beer?” “Bring the beer? Why several days beforehand. Has to settle, y’know.” “Ts it here now, then?” “Yes.” Dukely gestured behind him. “At the back of my hut there. Gallons of Do they start the stuff.” “Um.” The little doctor wriggled slightly. “Now about this tree. What is it?” “The magic tree. Tree of Life they call it.” “You said it was poisonous?” Vec?? “Of what species is it?”’ “T dunno. Seems to be* of the same family as the baobab—Andansonia,y’know. But yet quite unlike the baobabs of the South. Never seen one like it before.’ “Um. Citric tribastc,’ muttered the doctor. ‘No good.’ He stared up at the great boughs and, jumping to his feet in his nervous, manner, went across and began to pick at the bark of the great bole. “That’s not Andansonia!”’ he commented with a leap in his voice as he returned to his chair. “Don’t know what it is. Un- classified, I should say.” “No, I don’t think it’s baobab, Wouldn’t be poisonous if it were.” “Do they ever use it?” “Yes. On the—husband. They say that it is the blood of the mother which he must eat before he ismarried.” “Ah!” What’s the effect?” “Oh God, Doc, that’s what I want to know. They—they don’t give the poor devil a chance to die. The stuff of the pod is thrust down his throat an’ then— what I described. But what’s the scheme? Shove it in the beer an’ poison the swine? with § yell. “You've got it, by God, ol¢ man -} ao “Wait a minute,” said the doctor quietly. _ “Not so fast.” “By God, I feel alive once more! We © must doit, Doc. That’llfixthem.” —_ “That’s the—sit down, Dukely. The © point is: will it fix ‘em? How do Ry a us know what poison it is? What quan is required to produce the desired effect? “Oh the devil! Oh, it must.” “Desire has no effect on organic matter, my friend. Um. Um. Haven't got any animals around here to experiment on?” — “Nota thing. They bring me food every morning: fowls and sometimes goats but always ready killed.” “Um. Wish to heaven we knew what family it is.’ He stared at the great tree by which the moon in midare was almost obscured. “Have you got anything to knock down one of these pods?” “No, but I’ve some here,” said Warren- Dukely, fumbling in his pocket. “I—I thought they might be useful in case any-. thing happened before schedule, y’know.” The doctor took one, split it open and examined the contents: seeds embedded in a yellowish creamy matter. “Um. Um,” he muttered, sniffing it. “Wonder what the devil it can be. The odor seems familiar. Very. What the— —ifIknow. Tastes sweetish,” he added utting a grain upon his tongue-tip. “Roe God’s ake be careful, old man!” cried Warren-Dukely. The doctor held the pod in one hand and stared at the moonlit glade. “Tf only I could think what that reminds me of. I might get a clue. I’ve half a mind to try. Have you any mustard for an emetic?” : “Don’t be crazy, Doc! And I heya any, anyway. It may be anything; mayb the stuff some of these devils poi a fete arrows with. I know that’s a vegetable poison of some sort and absolutely deadly.” a “True!”’ “= “Besides, if it takes a long time, the actual | knowledge won’t do us any good. I mean that’s our only chance either way.” 44 “True again. What time do they come in with food?” a ~ “Sunrise or before.” £2 ae