Adventure, December 3, 1920 — page 153: what you’re looking at

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

= oo The Messenger . In the course of their association, Death had learned a good deal about the three, who had planned to return to the place in proper style. This brought up the question of why he had followed and spied upon them. “Reason enough,” said Kilgore. ‘“‘We’ve been at work on a new sort of gun, and he wanted to get the details of it. When we get back to the bungalow you'll see for yourself. He knew, of course, that we were going back to the temple.” “Why?” I questioned. “What sane man would want to go back there?”’ Kilgore gave me an eagle-sharp look. All the affected accent fell away from “See here, Day! That place is a ‘plague- sore on the face of the earth. We'll not argue the telepathic part of it; you must ac- cept that as truth, and beware of it. But in a more concrete sense that place is damned. Every month ten girls from Urga—think of it! 2 That’s the thing, the whole thing, with us “Not the whole thing,” put in Mac cannily. *Ve’ll ken the hoard o’ gowd and jewels that the Unseen One hauds!” Kilgore brushed this aside with a gesture. “Never mind. The main thing is that this place is a nest of devils. It’s a peculiar race, Day, the mean between Russian and Chinese, Cossack and Mongol. Like the fish in that lake; Death brought me a specimen. A distinct species. Those fellows are begin- ning to touch the white races with their evil. That Russian girl was a sample. They keep in touch with the world outside; they are well armed and provided, and I’ve no doubt in the world that at this minute they know we are planning to come back. Don’t you make any mistake about the telepathic stuff. It’s dang- erous.” “Tt’s no skin off your nose how many girls they hook,” I countered. “Bah!” Kilgore looked at me, fire in his eyes. ‘“We’re men, aren’t we? Gentlemen?” “Not me,” I said, pouring another drink. “I’m no gentlemen, thank Heaven! I’m just plain man. If I was a gentleman, I’d have been dead and overboard years ago——” Kilgore laughed suddenly, and Mac uttered a cackle. “Shut up, Day,” snapped the tall one genially. .‘“‘We understand each other. Well, the three of us are going to put that cursed breed out of business. The Chinese can’t do it; they only make a pretense at authority. The lama at Urga—the Hutuktu, you know, who has a government of his own—is probably drawing down a bit of graft from the Ten him- self. The Japs are pushing that way, but no sane man out there has any dealings with them. “And, as Mac says, there is loot to be had. I have a notion that the Unseen One, as he is 143 called, who appears to live at the lake, hasa big stock of jewelry on hand and that it comes from some old hoard, If I told you that I thought it might be the tomb of Genghis Khan, you'd only laugh. If I told you who I thought Genghis Khan really was, you’d laugh.” “Oh,” I put in, “I’ve heard that yarn, too. About his being a Jap prince.” Kilgore started, then broke into a laugh. “Well, let it go. Now, Day, what do you say? Would you like to take a crack at the Ten Dromedaries with us?” I stiffened with astonishment, until I saw that he really meant it. Mac was watching me, and nodded assent. “Thank you, gentlemen,” I said promptly, “but please count me out.” “Tf I ever sin again,’’ quoted Mac wickedly, “the Guid Laird——” “T meant it, too,” I shot at him. “TI don’t want to go back to that accursed Gobi! The smell of a camel nauseates me. I will admit that the loot part of it is an appeal——” “Well.” Kilgore rose as he spoke, “suppose you go back to the bungalow with us and take a look at the machinery. We'll stick together until James Death is attended to, anyway; then settle affairs.” “Good enough,” I agreed. It was nearly three o’clock when we started home. It was four when we sighted the bun- galow. My house appeared to be deserted, but I was not going to look and see just yet. I don’t think it occurred to any of us that in this interval of a few hours James Death might have had — of opportunity to get opium and plan things ~ VIE MAC ran the car in the drive, off the street toward the garage, and we Sates alighted. At this instant some realization of the time involved came to me. It was not yet twenty- four hours since I had come to know Kilgore and McAuliffe; only slightly over that since I had been at home. And yet in this one day volumes had happened. At my short laugh the others gave me a glance of inquiry. “Time,” I explained. ‘Yesterday I was an honest citizen. Today I’m in your company. Where’s the weapon?” They turned to the garage. Why do I mention this incident? Because I firmly be- lieve Kilgore would have gone into the house except for it. And if he had gone into the house then, things would not have turned out the way they did. “Did you see Fandi Singh off?” I asked. Mac was unlocking the garage doors. Kil- gore shook his head. COMIC OOOKS a a ie > Fr —% a1 - & 7 -. 2. «a ~ (E@)