Adventure Magazine Cover, June 20, 1925 — page 72: what you’re looking at

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

04 felt the stricken man’s pulse and looked keenly into his face. ‘Enrique!’ The dock superintendent who had come up with the others started as O’Keefe barked his name. ‘Go back there and get the small leather box that lies on the table in my room. En seguida!”’ As Enrique disappeared into O’Keefe’s quarters at the back of the office the latter turned to Pancho. “It is of a very great sadness, amigo,” he said, ‘‘but you have the cholera!” “Cholera! Madre de Dios!’ Luis let go of Pancho, who collapsed in a heap on the floor, and made a leap for the door. O'Keefe dived for his knees and brought him down in a perfect flying tackle. It did not suit his purpose to have Luis start a panic in the town by spreading news of cholera. “Pancho lay huddled on the floor, groaning rhythmicaly and feelingly. After every tenth or twelfth groan he called on the saints ina few brief but heartfelt words. Luis re- gained his power of speech, which had been knocked out of him by his sudden and un- expected fall. “But, Sefior, it is necessary that I seek el medico. I have been much with that— that poor one.” | “El medico can not save you. They say that for cholera there is no cure.” O’Keefe paused a moment to let this sink in, and heard the footsteps of the re- turning Enrique. He spoke hastily. “Say nothing to Enrique. In the box he brings I have drugs that will save you.” Taking his medicine chest from Enrique, O’Keefe mixed a dose of ordinary bicarbon- ate of soda to soothe the tortured stomach of Pancho; and prepared a foul-tasting laxative for Luis. When the men left the office a little later they were both convinced that O’Keefe had not only saved their lives but had averted an epidemic. He had gained two firm friends who might be useful at a later date. They were sufficiently grateful to obey his request to keep the incident to them- selves, though occasionally they dropped dark hints of some secret they shared with el jefe. This lent them a certain distinction, such as that which attaches to a Privy Coun- cillor or the especial favorite of a potentate. Adventure « ‘CHE months passed and O’Keefe might perhaps have forgotten the incident had not the grateful 3 Pancho mentioned it at intervals. Deconiber came, and with it the start of. the grinding season. In-February ‘and March, with the giant rollers turning in every sugar mill in the island, and with thousands of bags of new raw sugar being turned out for export every day, the anchorage in the lee of Cayo Ingles was always occupied by a number of steamers loading outward. O’ Keefe took his sleep when he could get it, a few hours at a time, and ate his meals standing at the counter of some native cantina or else with the officers of some ship at the anchorage. From January to April life at an important Cuban seaport is.very different from the rest of the year, for everything goes at fever heat. When. he really wants to, the Latin can shed _ his indolence for a fierce, nervous energy; and he does it at that time of year. It is then that the money is made in Cuba, the rest of the year is spent in marking time until the next busy season. O’Keefe shoved aside the bunch of re- ports he had been attempting to complete, and lighted his pipe for one final smoke to steady his nerves before turning in for a few hours. Pancho stepped quietly in at the door. “Buenos noches, Sefior,” he said hesitantly. “Well?’”’ responded O’Keefe, wondering sleepily what had brought the patron of the Josefita to him at that hour of the night. ‘“The Senor once saved my life,”’ continued Pancho, his tone slightly firmer. ‘Don Pancho Urrutia does not forget favors. I have news for the Senor, news of moment. Tomorrow night the union of los estibadores will strike.” Sleep dropped from Q’ Keefe in an instant. A strike of the stevedores, coming at the height of the season, would be a disaster that would cost the line thousands of dol- lars. He relighted his pipe and began to walk to and fro the length of the office. About nine the next morning, with four hours work already behind him, O’Keefe boarded the launch Caribette, and headed for the anchorage. Two of his pockets bulged with unusual weight. A couple of hours later the launch drew up alongside the Carib Warrior and O’ Keefe went up the Jacob’s-ladder. He glanced into all holds COMIGDIOOKSEEO