Adventure Magazine Cover — page 111: what you’re looking at

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

The Lord of the Stony Rises told Rushton after supper. ‘‘That’ll give you a chance to get a good rest with—”’ his disgust pierced through the cheerfulness of his words—‘‘with all your clothes off. And if I’m an hour late don’t fret yourself. A fellow like you what’s not used to ’ardships needs a lot of sleep.”’ “Vour generosity is overwhelming,” mur- mured Rushton. “Oh, that’s nothing. I’m just a plain tough fellow with lots of brawn. I’m used to this ’ere life so you leave it to me, ’Arold.”’ And having saddled up he rode off toward the cattle gathered in a straggling group on a high strip of land between the lake and a stretch of marshy swamp. Rushton watched him disappear into the darkness and began to undress with his usual deliberation. When he reached the critical point of struggling with his boots, Lund, who was scouring a frying-pan, re- marked suddenly— “T don’t know much, but if I was you— I’d look out.” Then, very red about the ears, he scrubbed at his pan for several minutes. “Proceed,” urged Rushton, hopping about on one foot. ‘‘Why should I look out and what for?” “Haven’t you noticed—nothinke” Lund asked in a whisper. “It ain’t for me to be talking about “4 “T think I know exactly what you mean, and as a matter of fact I’ve been wondering how long it would be before something hap- pened.” “Well, watch out.” ‘Don’t make my flesh creep. Come down to facts and stop beating about the bush. What has happened to make you suspi- cious?” “It’s the way he looks, for one thing,” Lund went on. ‘“‘You’ve seen that too. He looks at you all funny, and his hands work— Then, he’s been hinting at things. He tells people you ain’t strong——” “He’s afraid I won’t come back?” “That’s right. Have you heard him?” eNO ‘“‘That’s funny because he says there ain’t much chance of you ever seeing Melbourne again, and he says you’ve turned every- thing over to him. I don’t know, maybe you have.”’ “‘T’m always astonished at my own gener- Osity,”” Rushton declared, “but to my Io! knowledge I have made no such a promise to Mitcham.” “Tl wondered—because there’s no telling— you don’t act like most people out this way, and I thought maybe he wasn’t lying. But then last night while you was on watch and he was asleep he started having a kind of dream and mumbling to himself.” ‘“‘Go on, I’m listening.” ‘There wasn’t much I could catch, ex- cept a word here and there. He said ‘drown’ or ‘drowning,’ I think it was, and after that he was very restless and tossed about. He was lying close to me so I poked him in the ribs. He woke up all of a start and shouted, ‘It’s clean!’ What he meant I don’t know. Then he caught sight of me and shut up. That’s about all—but I’d be careful if I was you.” Rushton was loosening his stock. “T’m afraid,” he remarked placidly, “‘you’ve been reading too much about bush- rangers and detectives and pirates. Your mind, if I may say so, appears to be satu- rated with tales of crime. On the other hand, I read Ruskin and my mind is pure and—let’s leave it at that. In other words I think you are quite wrong. Our friend Mitcham is not without a few minor defects, but at heart he is sound. As to the dreaam— we all dream. Many a time I have a splendid nightmare in which I toss people about like feathers, and then I wake up to the sad contemplation of my abbreviated person——”’ Lund had gone back disgustedly to the scouring of his pan. He was through with Mr. Rushton for good and all. His mind was full of pirates, was it? Why, he couldn’t even spell his own name, let alone read. Still, if Rushton chose to rub it in he wasn’t going to bother about anything. It was no business of his anyhow. One boss was much like another, and he wasn’t going to get mixed up in other people’s troubles. It didn’t pay. He had had a sneaking liking for Rushton, but that was over and done with. So without further comment beyond a gruff “g’night,’ he finished his chores, washed his nose and a portion of his cheeks, shook out his blankets, curled up and was soon very much asleep. Then Rushton’s assumed nonchalance deserted him and he quickly climbed to the top of the wagon, there to await develop- ments. Regretfully he looked down upon Go DOOLK 1 @)