Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 57: what you’re looking at

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

THE APES OF DEVIL’S ISLAND. As was to be expected, Mrs. Meredith was terribly broken up over the loss of her two children. She had cried until there were no more tears in her to shed, and was now living in a sort of coma. It was evident that her health was in a precarious state. Dr. Grame told me on the side that he would not be surprised at a nervous breakdown. The conversation dragged on for about half an hour, while I learned all the details of their experience. The moon had risen and was lighting up the landscape brightly. Its long, streaked reflection on the quivering water was for- lornly beautiful. I had learned all the news, and the talk had drifted into theories of the fate of the young Merediths, the chance of our being rescued soon, and how long the water supply would last. My mind returned repeatedly to the smoke I had seen on Crescent Island. I would certainly go there that very night, but should I take any one with me? And how could I get away from the rest of the party? While thinking over these matters I strolled to the beach to have a look at the lifeboat. It was a light, strongly built dory. Fortunately the supplies had been trans- ferred from it to a tarpaulin shelter on the shore. I would have to go in the boat. How else could I bring Eleanor back in case I should find her? Then another thought entered my mind. Suppose I should be killed, or should lose the boat in some way or other? Was it fair to the little party huddled around the camp fire to expose them to the risk of being deprived of their boat? But then I had to take the boat if I wished to save Eleanor; and that settled the question for me. Finding that there were no oars in sight, I peered into the boat. There were none there. This was very annoying. I would either have to find the oars or ask where they were. This would demand some sort of an explanation. Hence it was not un- natural that I should mutter an oath. “And why curse, pray?” asked a voice near by. Turning about sharply, [ saw Dr. Grame standing beside me, his hand resting on the butt of a pistol in the holster at his side. 683 ‘Oh, you there,” I said, trying to be nonchalant. “ Didn’t hear you come up. What do you think of this mess?” “T think we all know things the other fellow doesn’t. Wouldn’t it be better to come out with them and all pull together?” “What do you mean?” I demanded, feigning to miss his meaning. “ What do I know that you do not?” Grame regarded me narrowly for a mo- ment, and then said: ‘Well, in the first place, you know some- thing about Eleanor—and for my part I know some rather interesting things about Nicky. We both have reasons, perhaps, for not telling the Merediths, especially at this time. But if we compared notes, many things might be cleared up. Come now, am I not right?” “You are, undoubtedly,” I answered, “and I shall do as you wish. But first, how did you know I had any knowledge of Eleanor?” He smiled and took a step toward me. “By that,” he said, tapping the gun that hung at my side. “It’s good I know you, or I would have suspected underhand work.” Eleanor’s revolver! What a fool I had been! No wonder Grame suspected that I knew something about Eleanor. “You recognized it?” I asked. you suppose any of the others did?” “No,” he replied. “ It’s my own gun— that’s why I recognized it. I gave it to Eleanor when we first struck the reef.” “Good,” I muttered. ‘‘ Now sit down, and I will tell you all about it.” I had no idea what a relief talking would be. However, when I came to my careless- ness that night on Devil’s Island, I broke down and cursed myself roundly. Grame clapped me on the back, almost driving it through my chest, and commanded me to pull myself together. He assured me that I was not to blame; that the catastrophe would have occurred if I had kept awake. When I spoke of the smoke on Crescent Island, he cursed and said: “We'll go there this very night. and I will start immediately.” He made as if to rise, but I caught his belt and dragged him down again. ‘Pe You COmicloooks (E@