Adventure Magazine Cover — page 179: what you’re looking at

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

The Dragon’s Claw shown, but this faded at the sight of McNeill’s face. “So you deliberately sent me back to the Hoang Lung with a duplicate when Helen’s life was hanging in the balance! Her honor, the prospect of horrible degrada- tion and torture all depended on it—not to speak of my own safety or my own honor. I swore to Tao Chan that I had kept faith with him. Remsden, there are no words that I am capable of to tell you what I think of you—a man so besotted by his own puny chance for fame that he woul = “T tell you there was no chance of a slip. The two could not be told apart.” “And what if I had been delayed upon the trip? Your master-craftsman, whose. dread you thought you had bought over _ with your gold, was still the slave of his superstitions. We met him hurrying to Hoang Lung to confess to the trickery. I thought he was merely bearing the news of the theft and laughed at the poor fool. He was death incarnate riding to our de- struction! Twenty-four hours after he had passed us Tao Chan knew what you had done. “T wouldn’t give the seed of a dried fig for your life, Remsden, for all your bars and your protection. You have deserved the death of Fung-Ti, in my estimation, you vile imitation of a pariah! If it wasn’t that your dirty chicanery involved Helen I would beat you to a pulp and leave this house in the sure knowledge that, if you don’t die of heart failure from cowardice, it is because the gods they write of in this script have reserved you for something more appropriate in the way of punishment.”’ He had risen and was towering over the crumpled Remsden, who was whining in his Chair. =, “Don’t go back on me, McNeill! For Helen’s sake! I did not dream of the jeweler’s going to Hoang Lung. “The lives of the three of us are in jeopardy. Yours is forfeit.” “There must be some way out, McNeill— some way.” “There is one chance—to make restitu- tion of the claw. It is possible they may make terms—may keep them. [ can see these two princes. They have evidently been communicated with by cable from China. For all their avowal of modern - thought, they have still to play politics at 165 home.- I have reason to believe that they can be treated with.” | “Yes, I think so. But I can’t give them back the claw, McNeill.” “Why not?” Remsden gulped the rest of his liquor. A stubborn look was on his face. “Because I can’t, and I won’t. I’ve been upset a bit. That paper, and some- thing that happened yesterday—but, it, this is America and bigger men than I have been safeguarded for years against: greater perils. T—IIl go to sea, i necessary, and stay there. I have my own yacht. Tl take Helen with me. You can come along too, if you are so afraid of the vengeance of Tao Chan or whatever his name is. But I won’t give it up.” Back of the man’s bluster, that yet was not all bluff, for it was backed by deter- mination, McNeill read accurately the reason for his stiffening. He would not sacrifice his own presidency, so long coveted. In all probability it had been obtained by his promise of the relic to the museum. Such arrangements were not uncommon. To take back the claw would mean his resignation, an awkward explanation, per- . haps making him the laughing stock of the scientific world. Far rather would Rems- den sacrifice any one near and dear to him, even run the chance of death for himself. “T am not afraid,” said McNeill. “It is quite possible that you may be able to safe-— guard yourself for a time, but I am going to do one thing. I am going to convince Prince Liu Chi and Prince Ten Shin of the absolute innocence of Helen and myself in this matter. After that you can do as you please. If I can’t convince them I shall give out the true story of the claw.” ‘“Ah-ha! To whom? The press? Do you think they would believe you—take the word of a penniless adventurer against Howard Remsden? I would say you were attempting to blackmail me.” 3 “You would be very sorry if you did, Remsden,” replied McNeill quietly. “Very sorry, I assure you, but there is no use wrangling. Ill see the princes. As for yourself, you seem to have changed your attitude since I arrived. It may be the brandy or perhaps your nerves react swiftly. If I can get what I deem satis- factory assurance from Liu Chi and Ten Shin as to the safety of your stepdaughter and myself, why, you can take your own Eomichbooks.com