Adventure Magazine Cover — page 105: what you’re looking at

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

TREASURE 99 things a woman does not forgive. You have said as much!” “Tt is not kind, Julien, to remember fool- ish words.”’ “But I have no luck. Mon Dieu, it is true! I would bring misfortune. ‘Away from me, Vioux! You have no luck!’ Now what has been done to make you think my luck is better? Iam sick.” ‘You are the gambler, and know that bad luck is like the tide. It goes low, then turns.” ‘“‘True—if one is lucky. But I am sick and do not care. What good is good luck to a dying man?”’ “You, the always brave Julien, are indeed sick to be without hope! If you will help me we will be fortunate once more.”’ “Let Monsieur the Baboon help you. He is the brave man. So saveege!”’ “Zul! Heisa fool, and fools are the most useful of men.” “Ah, but you look hard at me as you say that!” “T can not mean you, Julien!” “But if not me, whom is it that you do mean. Let us befrank. Iama fool and you have need of me. But of what use can I be? I am sick. I am half drunk. By night I shall be dead drunk. There is no other way to sleep.” “Ah, Julien,” she asked from behind an intent look, “‘what would you do if there was nothing to drink, eh?” ‘“‘Become mad.” “Just so. And what of Denasso if there should be no opium?” Madame inquired in the way of one who has something dark in mind. “You tell me, Lucille. think.” “Julien, would he not do whatever that one said who had opium to give him? Has it not always been so?”’ “True. But what then? We have none now to give to him. There is nothing that I want Denasso to do.”’ “That Heddon, Julien, he is our bad luck. I will stop at nothing, and every- thing is planned. So you see, Julien, how I do trust you to confess so much!” “Oh no, not at all. I could not betray you. ‘Ha, Vioux, you are drunk and a liar?’ Men would say that. They would believe you. I do not tell the truth so well as you lie!”’ “My poor Julien, do you remember the I am too sick to times we have angrily said things we did not mean. Without you now, I can not do as must be done.” “Very well then. What is to be done?” “Julien, we are not far from the island where lies the treasure. When the wind comes—”’ “It will never come! This is Hell. We are all dead and do not know it. We know only that we are in Hell. But what do you plan, eh?” “First the Heddon. He is dangerous. We are near the island. There we will get treasure and—”’ fiercely—“‘keep it!”’ “He is terrible in the fight. Even Abdul —tut tut tut! What can J do against one hike the Heddon?”’ ‘“T soon come to that, Julien. There are others too. There must be none left who can tell tales about us when we return to Paris and have wealth!” “Paris? Why there if one has wealth?” “What good, Julien, is wealth if one does not live in Paris? I shall return to Paris.” “That is true, but—” “Tf one has wealth and no enemies, the police will learn nothing. So—’ she checked off the names on her fingers—“‘the Heddon first, because he brings bad luck and will rob us. He and the Chinaman have put their heads together. Then Abdul and Denasso.”’ She stopped. Vioux gazed at her, and nodded. “Vou are right, if one is to return to Paris. But to have me out of the way, too, my dear Lucille, would I not be returned to that prison, eh?” ‘‘Julien, you are not so clever as I thought, not to know a woman better than that. Would I take so much trouble to get you out only to put you back?” “‘Peste! That is an idea. But then, with wealth, as you have said, one could be so much the more happy with no old friends about.” “One wants friends. But is that pig Abdul a friend? Or that smoke-fiend?” ‘‘And Monsieur the Baboon?”’ “You are trying to laugh at me! Be care- ful, Julien. I forgive many things more readily than laughter.”’ “Well then, I do not laugh. What is to be done?”’ “This: We are near the island. The Baboon, as you call the lout, has many times been captain of his own ship and can COnmulclboooks. CO