Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 4, 1925 — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

~ such habits. 814 once more, with whisky and soda at his elbow, and a cigar between his teeth, was complacency itself. “Glad that cook of yours is placated,”’ he laughed. ‘‘ Thought for a minute or so that there’d be international complications —the jungle versus the Celestial Empire, you understand. Mad? That’s the mad- dest Dyak in these woods. He won't take Kwong Wing’s head, I hope. I understand head-hunting is a favorite pastime among these people.” Lansdell smiled. <“‘ Well, head-hunting has figured in local history,” he admitted. “But that’s before my time. These days you’d have to go into the interior to meet These river people are very decent citizens, and you’d like them if you came to know them. They're honest—you can leave your things around and know nothing’s going to be touched. They’re truthful, too. Fact is, they haven’t yet ac- quired either the graces or the disgraces of our civilization.” “T’m relieved to hear you say all this,” confessed Wray, with a wag of his round head that was comically dubious. “ But they look wild to me. And that’s why I agreed with Barker that we ought to fetch plenty of boatmen along.” Lansdell did not reply for a moment. Then, “‘ Did Mr. Barker ever hear of an attack on travelers up this river?” he in- quired. “Not lately I think.” “JT fancy not,” went on the younger man, with a touch of irony in his voice. “Tf there’s trouble, it’s instigated always by people who come upriver, trading and so on. You and Miss Oldham are safer in this Aumpong to-night than you'd be in some European or American cities. And just now the villagers are particularly sweetened up. We've had a visit lately from some very open-handed moving-pic- ture people.” Listening, Wray’s face wore an unpleas- ant expression, and he did not look at Lans- dell. Here was a man who was notorious, even in the jungle, as a fugitive from jus- tice; and he was emphasizing the truth and the honesty of savages. ‘Sand in the eyes,” mentally observed Mr. Wray. ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. Lansdell had his own thoughts, and they were troublesome. In the first place, he was already regretting that he had told Marcia the truth about Barker: in the sec- ond, he was turning over the matter of passing on that same information to her uncle. Now he was sure that Barker had built up an ugly yarn about the man whom the expedition was to take on as a guide for a reason other than jealousy. ‘“ He’s damaged me in order to set up himself,” he concluded. ‘It makes him appear to be particular, which he isn’t. But chiefly what it does is to make Mr. Wray fee] that I can’t be trusted. Maybe I'd better let Mr. Wray know that I’m an old friend of Marcia’s. If he can’t keep it to himself, well—”’ But even as he swung partly round to- ward his guest, the first words of an an- nouncement on his tongue, Barker emerged from the open door of Lansdell’s larger room. He had changed from his traveling outfit to siesta apparel, and had on wide, gayly printed cotton trousers and a volum- inous cotton jacket to match. “ Advise you to follow my suit, Wray,” he observed as he sank into a near-by chair. “Nothing like this Dutch outfit for the middle of the day.” Wray stared, caught his breath, sat back, and swallowed. ‘‘ Marcia coming out?” he asked. The question was a rebuke. Barker guffawed. “I'll be in a ham- mock,” he returned. But as he proceeded down the veranda to where the hammock was hung, his eyes narrowed, and he pushed out his lips resentfully. Now Barker was within earshot. Lans- dell postponed the confidences he had in- tended to make. ‘‘ How much farther up- river do you plan to go, Mr. Wray?” he inquired. Instead of making a direct answer, Wray darted a look past his host to the bnghtly appareled heap in the swinging hammock. ‘You mean vou have things to do here,” he said, and again there was a sneering note in his voice; ‘“‘ and we'll be interfering with. ? 9 em ‘“T have some work under way,” Lans- dell asserted. ‘A week of your time will be enough,” Conn lDOOlK