Adventure Magazine Cover — page 59: what you’re looking at

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

Om That was—by gad! That was twenty years ago! Good Lord! How time flies! “Ommony discovered nothing; or, if he did discover anything, he sazd nothng— he’s a great hand at doing that, by all accounts. But it leaked out that Marma- duke had appointed Ommony a trustee under his will. “There was another trustee—a_red- headed American woman—at least, I heard she’s red-headed, maybe she isn’t—named Hannah Sanburn, who has been running the mission ever since. She was not much more than a girl at the time, I remember. “And the third trustee was a Tibetan. Nobody had ever heard of him, and I’ve never met a man who saw him; but I’m told he’s a Ringding Gelong Lama; and I’ve also heard that Ommony has never seen him. The whole thing’s a mystery.” “It doesn’t seem particularly discredit- able to Ommony. What are you hint- ing at?” ‘Nothing. Only Ommony has influence. You’ve noticed, I dare say, he always gets what he goes after. If you asked me, there’s an even chance he may ‘get’ Jenkins, if he cares to.” ‘“That’s notorious. Whoever goes after Ommony’s scalp gets left at the post. What’s the secret?” “TY don’t know. Nobody seems to. There’s Marmaduke’s money, of course. Ommony handles some of it. I don’t sug- gest fraud, or any rot like that; but money’s strange stuff; control of it gives a man power. Ommony’s influence is out of all proportion to his job. ‘“‘And I’ve heard—mind you, I don’t know how true it is—that he’s hand-and-glove with every political fugitive from the north who has sirreaked down south to let the clouds roll by during the last twenty years. They even said Ommony was on the inside of the Moplah business. You know the Moplahs didn’t burn his bungalow—they say he simply asked them not to; can you beat that?—and it’s a fact that he stayed in his forest all through that rebellion.” ==) OMMONY was restless over in his corner, but not because tongues were wagging. His rather portly figure filled the chair he sat in, and no man seeing him for the first time could have failed to recognize the air of habitual authority that imposes itself on autocrats. In a district = = —— = a o7 as big as three broad English counties his word had been better than law for twenty- three years—because most governed people regard the law as an enemy, whereas Om- mony had been a friend beyond doubt or question. The line of his obstinate jaw was only half concealed by a close-clipped, graying beard, and there was humor on his lips, though he was angry—obviously angry. He did not look that morning like a man to be approached offhandedly; all the club servants kept out of his reach, and the mem- bers preferred to discuss him from a safe distance. However, one man claimed casual acquaintance and dropped into the next chair. ‘Saw your great Irish wolf-hound waiting for you at the front door. My word, what a beauty! She’s the only one of her breed in India, isn’t sheP”’ “Yes,” said Ommony. “Don’t you find it difficult to keep her alive in this climate?” ‘“‘No,” said Ommony. “Ts she savage?” “On occasion. She bites fools.” But nothing less than violence will silence some people. “Expecting to stay long in Delhi?” “IT don’t know. I hope not.” “IT suppose you get the newspapers down in that forest of yours. What do you think of the political situation?” “T don’t think of it.” ‘“‘That’s counsel of perfection! How do you contrive to keep your mind a blank?” “T don’t. I keep it busy.” The inquisitor shifted his attack; there is a line of least resistance, which you can usually find if you stick to questioning and wear a man down. “Care to sell me that wolf-hound?”’ Ommony’s reserve broke down; he had to talk to somebody: “That dog? Sell her? She’s the sum total of twenty years’ effort. She’s all I’ve done.”’ The inquisitor leaned back, partly to hide his own face, partly to see Ommony’s in a more distinct light; he suspected sunstroke or the after effects of malaria. But Om- mony, having emerged from his reserve, continued: “I don’t suppose I’m different from any- body else—at least not from any other reasonably decent fellow—made a lot of Co NOOK (C©@