Adventure Magazine Cover — page 60: what you’re looking at

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

“eg mistakes, of course—done a lot of things I wish I hadn’t—been a bally ass on suit- able occasion—but I’ve worked hard. India has had all the best of me and her!—I haven’t grudged it. Don’t regret it, either. I’d do it again. But there’s nothing to show for it all “Except a forest. They tell me ‘“‘A forest, half-grown, that corrupt poli- ticians will play ducks and drakes with; a couple of thousand villagers who are now being taught by those same politicians that everything they’ve learned from me is no good; a ruined constitution—and that dog. That’s all I can show for twenty years’ work—and like some others, I’ve had my heart in it. I think I know how a mis- sionary feels when his flock walks out on him. I’m a failure—we’re all failures. The world is going to pieces under our hands. What I have taught that dog is all I can really claim by way of accomplishment.” That particular inquisitor lost enthusi- asm. He did not like madmen. He with- drew and considered Ommony in a corner, behind a newspaper. Another not so casual acquaintance dropped into the vacant chair, and was greeted with a nod. ‘“You’re been absent so long you ought to see things with a fresh eye, Ommony. D’you think India’s breaking up?”’ “I’ve thought so for twenty years.” ‘How long before we have to clear out?” ‘“‘The sooner the better.” “For us?” “T mean for India!” “T should have thought you would be the last man to say that. You’ve done your bit. They tell me you’ve changed a desert into a splendid forest. D’you want to see it all cut down, the lumber wasted and as Ommony pulled out his watch and tapped his finger on the dial. “T had it cleaned and repaired recently,”’ he remarked. ‘“The man charged me a fair price, but after I had paid the bill he didn’t have the impudence to keep the watch, for fear I might ruin it again. “India has a perfect right to go to her own way. Surgery and hygiene are good, but I don’t believe in being governed by th€ medical profession. Cleaning up corrupted countries is good; but to stay on after we’ve been asked to quit is bad man- ners. And they’re worse than breaking all ten commandments. Besides, we don’t know much—or we’d have done much better.” 1) 99 Adventure “You think India is ripe for self-govern- ment?” “When things are ripe, they fall or decay on the tree,” said Ommony. ‘“There’s a time to stand aside and let’ ’em grow. There’s such a thing as too much nursing.” ‘Then you’re willing to chuck your forest job?”’ “T have chucked it.” “Oh! Resigned? Going to draw your pension?” “No. Pension wouldn’t be due for two years yet, and I don’t need it. India has had the use of me for twenty-three years at a fair price. I’d be satisfied, if she was. But she isn’t. And I’m proud, so I’}] be if I’ll accept a pension.” Ommony was left alone again. That news of his resignation was too good to be kept, even for a minute. Within five minutes it was all over the club, and men were specu- Jating as to the real reason, since nobody ever gives any one credit—and wisely per- haps—for the motives that he makes public. ‘Jenkins has_ succeeded Willoughby. Ommony knows jolly well that Jenkins has it in for him. He’s pulling out ahead of the landslide—that’s what.” “IT don’t believe it. Ommony has guts and influence enough to bu’st ten Jenkinses. There’s more than that in it. There never was a man like Ommony for keeping secrets up his sleeve. You know he’s in the Secret Service?”’ “‘That’s easy to say, but who said so?” “Believe it or not—I’ll bet. I'll bet he stays in India. I'll bet he dies in harness. I’ll bet any money in reason he goes straight from here to McGregor’s office. More than that—I’ll bet McGregor sent for him, and that he didn’t resign from ‘the Forestry without talking it over with McGregor first. He’s deep, is Cottswold Ommony— deep. He’s no man’s fool. There’s no man alive but McGregor who knows what Om- mony will do next. Anybody want to bet about it?” The remainder of the conversation at the club that noon rippled off into widening rings of reminiscence, all set up by Om- mony’s arrival on the scene, and mostly interesting; but to stay and listen would have been to be sidetracked, which is the inevitable fate of gossips. There was a story in the wind that, if the club had known it, would have set all Delhi by the ears. MICLOOOK (C© in