Adventure Magazine Cover — page 119: what you’re looking at

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

oS Ivory He motioned the Major to a seat and watched him as he peered aimlessly round the room. “My name is Aubert St. John,”—he pro- ~ nounced it Sinjun—said the Majer by way of introduction. Nathan bowed his acknowledgement. “‘Top-hale place yeu have here, eld chap- pie,” continued the Major. “Quite up to the minute, what? Typewriter and all that bally rot.” Nathan nodded patiently. They were all alike at the first visit. Talked about any- thing rather than the loan for which they had come. PEE is old chappie, I’m in a deuce of a Nathan beamed. His visitor was running true to type. “T’ve got a chance to make a bally lot of meney, but I don’t quite know how to go about it.” “There are a lot of us like that,” assented Nathan. ‘I suppose you want me to loan you some money until you find out ‘how to go about it.’ Well, if your securities are all right PI” “Oh, no. Really now, old top. Nothing like that,” inte the Major with a show of confusion, o, really. I want some advice on a real business deal. “Business deal? You?’’ Nathan laughed. The Majer leeked peeved. “That’s always the way. People always laugh at me when [I talk about business. They must take me for a bally feel.” “Well—” Nathan made no attempt to conceal his mirth—“TI’d hardly say that. But what’s yeur scheme?” “Scheme? Oh, yes; you mean, how I mean to make a lot of money. I knew you'd help me. They told me at the hotel you were the best business man in town: Of course I might have gone to some of the other dealers, but I don’t speak Portuguese.” The Major tiptoed.to. the door, opened it cautiously; then, shutting it, came back and drawing his chair up closer to Nathan, said in a whisper— “You’re a dealer in ivory, aren’t you?” “Ves; what of it?” “Hush! Not so loud. I know where I can get lots of it.” “Tf you think you are going out to shoot a lot. of elephants like they did in the old days, you are on the wrong track. Ele- phants are protected game nowadays.” ““Oh, I’m not going to shoet them. I wouldn’t know how. Always was fright- ened at guns ever. since my brother lit a firework under me one Guy Fawkes Day.” “Then what are you going te de? “Hyp- notize them while you saw off their tusks?” “Oh, new you’re spoofin’,” expestulated the Major. “T’ll tell you what Pm going te de. Have you ever heard that when elephants are getting old they all go te the same place to die? A sort of old elephants’ home?” Nathan nodded wearily. He had heard the legend many times. What African ivory- trader has not? “Well, I’m going to find it.” “Yes? And what do you want me to do? Advance you money to outfit your expedi- tion? Because I won't.” “There you go again, talking about loans. I’ve already got my outfit ready.” “Then what do you want?” “IT want you to buy the ivory, old chap. What good will it do me unless I can sell it?” “Well, Vl buy all you find.” “Do you really mean it? How much will you give me for each tusk?” “We don’t buy ivory that way,” Nathan | chuckled, ‘‘but by the pound.” “Really! Then how much a pound?” Nathan reached for the local paper and made a pretense of looking up the latest ivory quotations. “Ten shillings a pound,” he said. “Good, ” said the Major. “It’s a bar- gain.” He rose to go, hesitated, and slowly re- seated himself. “Well?” said Nathan impatiently. He wanted to get rid of his visitor and tell the story to his boon companions at a near-by saloon. The aes was too good to keep. “Well?” -“T hope you won’t misunderstand me, old chap, but I do want to be business-like. Won’t you put that offer in writing?” Nathan crossed to the typewriter, and, picking out the letters with one finger, wrote for a few minutes. Taking the paper from the machine, he handed it to the Major, who, screwing his eye-giass more firmly into place, read: I, Nathan Abraham, contract to buy from bearer at ten shillings a pound all the ivory that may come into his possession " (Signed) NATHAN ABRAHAM, (E@IAMIUG 109 OOO KS (EO)