Adventure Magazine Cover, December 10, 1922 — page 55: what you’re looking at

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

Benefit of Doubt eo our cartridges somewhere, perhaps, ut “No butts or bayonets!”’ “Man! We'd take their word not to attack us. They must take ours not to use our weapons.” “Tf I go,” Ommony answered, “I go without even a hunting knife. If you go, you do the same. I know the Moplahs. You don’t./ I propose to return alive, which we never would if we carried rifles.” “Unloaded rifles? Just for appearance?”’ “The appearance is what would start trouble inevitably. No. White flag party. Same way that a Moplah might be allowed to penetrate our lines.” “T’ll find out if the men are game,” said Linkinyear, and walked out on the veran- da, arriving just too late to surprize them grouped with their ears to the open window. Ommony went to the back door and whistled the same jungli who had attended Shere Ali’s obsequies. They exchanged gut- tural coughs and grunts for about a minute, and the jwngli departed at a dog-trot. “The men are perfectly splendid. Game to go anywhere on any terms!’ said Linkin- year. “Now for your Moplah chiefs! Mind—you must make this a regular white flag party—honors of war—good faith on both sides—all that kind of thing!” “Yes, all that kind of thing,” said Om- mony. ‘“I’ye sent for the chiefs.” ge before the same three chiefs came who had made terms with Ommony in the first instance. ‘What is it, Ommon-ee? Who are these BUT it was dark—nine o’clock— soldiers? We promised. You need no guards in this place.” | “Be seated. My servants shall bring food. You have prisoners at Podanaram— a judge and his wife.” “Not we, but the Khalifate Committee. What of that, Ommon-ee? Do the British not take prisoners?” Ommony chose a cigar and drew on his air of /deliberate leisureliness. “Have you ever defeated the English?’’ he asked after a moment. “Not seriously. No. time+——’”’ “Tf they should defeat you, would it not be best if there were certain claims on their generosity that might be brought forward on the day of settlement?” | However, this “We have treated you well, Ommon-ee.” “But Iam only a forester. The prisoners at Podanaram are very important ones. If they should be ill-treated——”. “As Allah hears us, they shall not be!’ “Tf I should send word into the British lines that of my own knowledge those tw prisoners are well and are being neato _kindly, there would be satisfaction,” said Ommony. “Satisfaction begets good-will. And out of good-will no harm was ever born, even between enemies.” “That is true. We trust you, Omon-ee. We. will take you to see those prisoners, but you must not spy on us; you must promise that.” “T shall return to this place,” he answered, “and these soldiers will carry my report.” “Good. They may wait here. Only we will take their weapons as guarantee. When you return we will give them back their weapons. ‘That is fair.” “But not wise!” Ommony answered. “It is better to leave their weapons here, subject to your promise not to interfere with them, and to take the officer and his men, unarmed, with me. In that way there wilk be no excuse for hostilities.” The headmen objected strenuously, but Ommony refused equally strenuously to leave any of the party in his bungalow, saying that if anything under heaven were certain it was that news of soldiers being quartered there would leak abroad and Moplahs from a distance, who knew nothing of the truce, would pay the place a business visit. “These soldiers are too many,” said the chief who had red in his beard. “Send all but two of them back to the British lines. Later when those two return with your message we will give them a safe conduct.” That was good common sense, but Link--: inyear would not listen to it, for he himself would have had to return to G. H. Q. It would have been out of the question to send ten men back without as much as a noncommissioned man in charge. His ad- } venturous heart was set on penetrating the | jungle and the way to Podanaram and re- porting the accomplished fact to his supe- riors. His men were no whit ‘behind him in enthusiasm. So Ommony held his ground, half-ad- miring Linkinyear’s persistence, and wholly minded on his own account to look into the condition of the prisoners. There followed com ,