Adventure Magazine Cover — page 190: what you’re looking at

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

184 The woman stood by the table, her hands to her cheeks, her eyes gazing past him into space. She did not answer. “Td rather sail with you, Captain Selby,” said the man. “You I can trust, but—with all respect, Captain, your friend— can I trust him? Your pardon, Captain, but suppose he is not reliable?” “‘He’s more reliable than I’d be,” said Captain Selby. He showed his teeth in a mirthless grin. ‘Do you accept?” “We’ve got to accept,” said the woman. She uttered a hard laugh. ‘‘We wouldn’t, if we didn’t have to!’’ “Will you hold your tongue!’”’ whispered the husband. He spoke to her again in Spanish. She nodded her head in agreement and looked at him humbly and patted his hand. Mr. Westeott, still watching the drama being played out before him, knew without being told that the love she bore her husband was greater than her husband’s love for her. She, too, was speaking in Spanish. “When is this other ship sailing?” she said presently. ‘Tomorrow, ma’m,” said the captain. He looked at his watch. “I should say, today. It’s later than I thought.” ‘““Hadn’t we better be going?” said Mr. Westcott uneasily. Once more, as on the road up the hill from San Asensio, he was being warned. Danger was imminent. He felt as he had felt when a steam pipe had burst and a fireman had been killed. The thought came to him that some one or other in the small hot room with the shuttered windows would be dead before daybreak. = !’ he said. “I wish—” He broke off and sat, listening, his arms folded on his knees. Queer, the noises one heard in an empty house at night! The wind rattling the shutters, the rustling of leaves, the scampering of rats in the walls! Alvarez, the husband, opened a cupboard door and brought out a black bottle. “You must have some cognac! will you fetch some glasses?” The woman nodded and went quietly out of the room. “Politics,” said the captain, “are danger- ous. I often think, sefior, I’d as soon be a criminal in this country as a politician. There’d be less danger!”’ The man looked at him very seriously and nodded his head. Tony, W. Townend “Ves, Captain, less danger! Especially if you have engaged foolishly in a plot and have changed your mind wisely, and with- drawn. It makes you enemies,” “They want to kill you?” “Because I know too much they are afraid and they want to kill me.”’ Mr. Westcott, straining his ears, heard a faint creaking in the room above, as though some one was walking cautiously with long, slow strides across the bare floor boards. His heart began to thump and he sat stifled, almost afraid to breathe lest he should miss anything that might happen. He held up his hand by way of warning. The two men broke off their whispered conversation and stared. He rose noiselessly to his feet. Again he heard the soft creaking over- head. “What is it?” hesaid. ‘Listen!’ “The wind,” said Alvarez. ‘“The wind. Yes—”’ “T can hear nothing,” said the captain. “Not letting your imagination run away with you, are you, Mr. Westcott?” “No. I heard something, I swear.” Mr. Westcott suddenly began to doubt. “At least, I think I did!” “You didn’t!” said Captain Selby. They waited in silence. Slow footsteps sounded in the passage. Alvarez was bending forward, his hands pressing on the table. He choked. The door opened. Against the blackness no one was visible. Captain Selby drew a squat automatic pistol from his hip pocket. ‘Who is it?” he said. The woman entered the room, carrying in her hands a tray on which were glasses, a loaf of bread and some cheese. ‘““Whatever’s the matterr”’ she asked. “Did you hear anything, Tony?” said her husband. “Were you upstairs just now?” She gave him a startled look of inquiry. Nig.’ She spoke in a breathless, frightened way that made Mr. Westcott think she, too, had heard what he had heard. “Tf you don’t mind,” he said, “I’m going to have a look round.” “There’s nothing, I know,” said Captain Selby. ‘‘All the same, it’s as well to make sure. With your permission, ma’m, I’m go- ing upstairs!” COnmiclboooks.c©