Argosy (UK), January 1955 — page 37: what you’re looking at

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

—~ A (‘ r. cs, - . -— =". : — NORTH OF MIDNIGHT a _ broke into roars of laughter, much to Garrod’s annoyance. _ ta —* — _ second day, which Garrod had spent largely in cursing over _ least bit worried by it, muttered to Aimo, ‘‘ Good lord, what a a ae — a 7 - - = — “~ = . ; > ak *y _ oo ” io en “Well, what does he say now? ”’ 7 ‘““Olmai says,” replied Aimo, “ that it’s very kind of you, and _ your offer would be very nice for him. But it wouldn’t be quite | the same thing to the reindeer.” ie Garrod restrained his temper with an effort, which was all too visible. “I see there’s nothing for it but to wait,” he said. — ‘‘T’ve had difficulties of this sort before with primitive peoples. — They don’t understand the value of money, that’s their trouble.” — ‘““ No,” answered Aimo drily, “ I suppose they don’t.” 3 The two men waited one day, two days. On the evening of the — Olmai’s obstinacy, the Lapp asked them over to his hut. As they passed in through the door, Garrod, annoyed over the delay and still more by the fact that no one except himself seemed the pigsty! ” | He didn’t need Aimo’s scowl to make him feel ashamed the — minute he’d spoken, but comforted himself in the knowledge — that the Lapp certainly couldn’t have heard him and, if he had — heard, couldn’t possibly have understood. Inside the hut, the whole family was assembled; an aged — grandmother—a little old lady who looked like a large doll; Olmai himself, and his wife—a fair-haired girl who was half Russian; three or four children, and a couple of young men who were taking a herd of reindeer somewhere, and just happened to have looked in for a few days. The meal was welcome. There were platefuls of little fish which Olmai had caught with a net through holes in the ice, followed by reindeer-meat stew. Afterwards the children and © the old lady withdrew into a kind of lean-to by the side of the hut, where they appeared to settle down for the night with the © sweets which Garrod had given them. The young men put on thick coats and boots, shook hands all round, and set off—their visit, apparently, being over. Olmai went out to see them on their way, and his wife withdrew to the stove and started to make tea. Aimo immediately turned to Garrod: “ Please be careful what you say in front of Olmai and his old mother! ” | Garrod flushed. He knew the rebuke to be deserved, but — liked it none the better. ‘‘ What d’you mean? They don’t — understand English, do they? ” ‘““No—” Aimo hesitated—“ they don’t ‘ understand English,’ as you put it. But they know what you’re saying all the same.” comiclbooks.conm