Adventure Magazine Cover, August 18, 1921 — page 116: what you’re looking at

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

IIO a cousin to my friend, the proprietor, of the George; John Barberie, Francis Harrison and Cadwalader Colden, the surveyor- general, he who later writ ‘““The History of the Five Indian Nations,” and who made himself remarkably acquainted with the history of provincial relations with the savages. “So! Humph!” The governor laid down the covering letter which accompanied the detailed re- port of the operations of Murray in London. “You are Master——” , He examined the letter again. “Humph! Yes.” His keen eyes deliberately scanned my face. “Tsee. Better es He turned from me to his councilors. “Tt is apparent from what Master Juggins has writ that Murray has triumphed, gentle- men, even if not so absolutely as he would have our citizens believe. However, we know the worst, and we may prepare for it. If I may have your indulgence, I would crave an adjournment of our meeting to enable me to discuss some aspects of the situation more intimately with Master Juggins’ messenger.” There was a murmur of assent, followed by a scraping of chairs and fluttering of papers as the meeting broke up. “One moment, your Excellency,” I interposed. “TI have also a letter from Master Juggins for the Honorable Cadwa- lader Colden of your Council—if he is here.” “Indeed, he is,” assented the governor. “A moment, if you please, Colden.” A thin, bustling man, with very bright black eyes and a dark complexion, who had been sitting at the governor’s right hand, detached himself from the exodus and re- sumed his chair. His nervous fingers quickly tore loose the envelope of the letter I handed him, and he began devouring its contents,-regardless of the confusion around him. “Until tomorrow, gentlemen!” The governor bowed the Council out, and shut the door upon the last of them. He beckoned me forward. “Sit here beside us, Master Ormerod—for so I see you are rightly named, although you traveled under Master Juggins’ name. Master Juggins vouches for you. That is sufficient for me. What say you, Colden?” Adventure “Quite sufficient,” agreed the surveyor- general. ‘Do you wish me to remain, sir?” “Certainly. Glad to have you. This is no matter to be manhandled by the whole Council; but zooks, a man must have advice now and then, whether he takes it or not! Now, Master Ormerod, do you tell us as fully as you may what you know of Murray. “Begin at the beginning. Spare nothing. Tell us how you yourself came into this. “Master Juggins hath slated you for a prominent part. I respect his judgment, but more than our immediate fortune hinges upon the issue of what we do, and I must know all.” The while he was talking he walked to the fireplace, selected a clay pipe, walked back to his chair, crammed the pipe with tobacco and cracked flint and steel to a slow-match of wadding, with which he lighted it. Colden sat low down in his chair, finger-tips joined, drinking in everything which was said. He was like a vigilant terrier in his watchful eagerness. I RECOUNTED the circumstances of my meeting with Juggins, the © hearing before the Lords of Trade and the incidents of the voyage, not for- getting Tom’s assault upon me and the strange bargain I had made with Murray. “Then are you safe from denunciation,” broke in the governor. ‘We think little of Hanoverian or Jacobite in New York. Here, Master Ormerod, you will find only Englishmen laboring to wrest a living from the wilderness and to extend their country’s power and richness. What you were mat- ters little. "Tis what you are we judge you by. “The bargain was typical of Murray. He is no ordinary villain. Already he hath persuaded the discontented elements in the ‘province that I would take the bread from their mouths by stopping his trade. But he knows well that I would leap upon the ex- cuse to lay him by the heels, and he will see to it that no suspicion of vour past escapes.” “He threatened me with the Red Death this morning,” I said. ‘Can you tell me what he meant by it?” The governor and Colden exchanged significant glances. ‘Bolling hath been in the town this week past,”’ remarked the latter. “T saw him on my way here,” I said. ‘Ah, then, ’tis——”’ © CloOOLkKS CO