Adventure Magazine Cover, June 18, 1921 — page 45: what you’re looking at

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

Don Diego Valdez ship. More than that, she is none so well found in water and provisions. “True, we are fortunately a small num- ber, but you and your party inconveniently increase it. So that on every hand, you see, prudence suggests to us that we should deny ourselves the pleasure of your com- pany, and, steeling our soft hearts to the inevitable, invite you to take a walk along a plank.” ‘‘T see,”’ said the Spaniard pensively. He swung his legs from the couch, and ‘sat now upon the edge of it, his elbows on his knees. He had taken the measure of his man, and met him now with a mock urban- ity and a suave detachment that matched his own. “T confess,” he admitted, much force in what you say.” “You take a load from my mind,” said Captain Blood. “TI would not appear un- necessarily harsh, especially since I and my friends owe you so very much. For, what- ever it may have been to others, to us your raid upon Barbados was most opportune. I am glad therefore that you agree that I have no choice.” “But, my friend, I did not agree so much.” “Tf there is.any alternative that you can suggest I shall be most happy to consider it.” In thought Don Diego stroked his pointed black beard. “Can you give me unt morning for re- flection? My head aches so damnably that I am incapable of thought. And this, you will admit, is a matter that asks for serious thought.” ‘Captain Blood stood up. From a shelf he took a half-hour glass, reversed it so that the bulb containing the red sand was upper- most, and stood it on the table. “T am sorry to press you in such a mat- ter, Don Diego, but one glass is all that I can give you. If by the time those sands have run out you can propose no acceptable alternative I shall most reluctantly be driven to ask you to go over the side with your friends.”’ Captain Blood went out aad locked the door. Elbows on his knees and face in his hands, Don Diego sat watching the rusty sands run from the upper to the lower bulb. And as he watched, the lines in his lean, broad face grew deeper. Punctually as the last grains filtered through the door reopened. “that there is 35 Ly THE Spaniard sighed and sat up- {| right to face the returning Captain sme Blood with the answer for which he came. “I have thought of an alternative, sir captain; but it depends upon your charity. It is that you put us ashore on one of the islands of this pestilent archipelago, and leave us to shift for ourselves.” Captain Blood pursed his lips. “It has its difficulties,” he said slowly. “T feared it would be so.”’ Don Diego sighed again, and stood up. “Let us say no more.’ The light-blue eyes of Captain Blood played over him like points of steel. “You are not afraid to die, Don Diego?” The Spaniard threw back his head, a frown between his eyes. “The question is offensive, sir.” “Tt is not so intended. Let me put it in another way, perhaps more happily— “You do not desire to live?” “Ah, that I can answer. I do desire to live; and even more do I desire that my son may live. But the desire shall not make a coward of me for your amusement, master mocker.”’ It was the first sign he had shown of the least heat or resentment. Captain Blood did not directly answer. As before he perched himself on the corner of the table. ‘Would you be willing, sir, to earn life and liberty—for yourself, your son and the other Spaniards who are on board?”’ ‘To earn it?’ said Don Diego; and the watchful Captain Blood did not miss the quiver that ran through him. “To earn it, do you say? Why, if the service you would propose is one that can not hurt my honor es “Could I be guilty of that?” cried the captain. ‘For I realize that even a pirate has his honor,” And_he forthwith propounded his offer. “Tf you will look from those windows, Don Diego, you will see what appears to be a faint cloud on the horizon. . That is the island of Barbados well astern. All day we have been sailing east before the wind with but one intent—to set as great a distance be- tween Barbados and ourselves as possible. “But now, almost out of sight of land, we are in a difficulty. The only man among us schooled in the art of navigation is fevered, .delirious in fact, as a consequence of certain COmicloo ZN ) (©