Adventure Magazine Cover — page 142: what you’re looking at

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

140 Browne could not be risked—the military head of the infant white Government of Samang. Ranleigh was needed as the home tie in case of insurrection, a man who knew how to cut red tape and get a war- ship here quickly in spite of the northeast typhoons closing the whole east coast. Webster Yates sprang forward to help, seeing that the unshaken and unalarmed Sir Harrod, filled with the inborn courage of his class, was about to do so. “It is not for you, sir, of all men!’’ he protested, while Browne and Ranleigh in- terposed their bodies in affectionate re- monstranee. “‘Nonsense!”’? demurred Sir Harrod fear- lessly, putting them aside. Just then the Sikh returned with a stretcher and Crabbe took command, force- fully shoving away Sir Harrod, who was trying in mercy to ease the unfortunate native’s sufferings. “Tt’s as much as your life is worth, sir!” he grunted shortly. ‘Take up his feet, Yates—and then don’t touch anything,” he ordered, lifting Awang by his shoulders. They deposited him on the stretcher. “To the sick bay!’’ Crabbe ordered the soldiers, and then turned to give the rest their directions. “Keep away from this spot, all of you,” he said, pointing to the sinister pool on the floor. ‘You too, Ya Israng; no touch!” he ordered the elderly native who had come in with troubled countenance. “Yates, you wil find disinfectant in my room. Have some one mix it in a basin, and wash your hands and wrists. Burn that jacket.” He turned and left the room to go to the sick bay. “By Jove, y’ know!” ejaculated Sir Harrod. An anxious silence fell on the others as they awaited his orders. ‘This onset of the dread disease into the very residency itself, and in spite of the best medical precautions too, was most disconcerting. It made them all realize how insignificant was man in comparison to Nature and her utterly hostile life, from the tiger in the hills to the unseen germ in the very water they drank. That last thought bade Yates stop and reflect where he stood, his hands held out contaminated and unclean, waiting for Sir Harrod to dismiss his staff. The water they drank! There, if anywhere, lay the secret of this invasion. Cooked food; no salads; no fruits except bananas, which you peeled Adventure with a knife, never allowing the fingers to touch the edible core, or oranges eaten with a sterilized spoon—all were part of Crabbe’s quarantine regulations. Granting them efficient, what was there left but the water? Most of it went into “pegs” of Scotch, wherein the alcohol killed all germ life; but no man could quench the thirst of the tropics with pegs. Water was usually served boiled and taste- less in remote jungle residencies like Kwala Luwas; Crabbe had avoided that nuisance by his spring-water idea. There could be no question of that being infected. And yet Yates decided to watch Ya Israng, the trusted servant, next day. Faithful he was to his white masters—but yet more faithful to that Malay adat which required him to perform no coolie Jabor while the great event was coming on of the birth of a son and heir to bury him properly according to Islam when life ended. “Really, there’s nothing to do but carry on, is there?” said Sir Harrod after a spell of troubled reflection. ‘This is the country where you shake hands with a chap one day and attend his funeral the next. Here we are, and here we stay. Look carefully to your diet, gentlemen. “Tf I go down, Browne takes charge, Ranleigh,” he told his chief clerk. “You won’t mind, Yates? You’re a Yank and a topping good sort, but legally, when it comes to dealing with native chiefs in the name of. our Government, y’ know— My appoint- ing you was quite irregular, y’ see——” Yates bowed and smiled cheerfully. Sir Harrod looked relieved. ‘““We all need to show the utmost moder- ation and tact in taking over this Govern- ment, gentlemen,” he resumed. ‘Our great difficulty is our own ignorance of what may be vitally important in the native mind. Ya Israng, for example,’ he smiled. “I shall rely on you, Mr. Yates, to steer Browne in his dealings if anything happens to me. You know the ropes. We'll carry on as before, taking only the most ele- mentary military precautions for the safety of the residency, and doing our best mean- while to win the friendship of Raja Sharif Ahmad.” Gallant gentleman! It was the last order he was destined to give; for that night the cholera struck, and in spite of Crabbe’s frantic efforts with the pressure pump, MICLOOOK C@ in