The Argosy, Vol. 84 No. 2 — page 91: what you’re looking at

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

SIDE-TRACKED The Jap looked sharply at him, but he — could not see his face. ‘“Mr. James—he very smart man,” he said by way of comment. “Yes, much smarter than I am, Suka,” replied Harvey. ‘I wish I had acted on his suggestion and stayed at home.”’ Suka made no comment. He had his own opinion of James, whom he disliked instinctively. : “Oh, why did I come!” went on Har- vey. ‘‘ Why didn’t I have sense enough to stay and die in my comfortable home instead of coming out here to starve.” Suka tried to console him. “Come, Mr. Bowyer,” he said, gently touching his hand, “come! We hope things not so bad as seem. We can’t stay here. We must look for place to sleep.” “Sleep!” exclaimed Harvey. “I feel as if I could never sleep again as long as I live.” “Cheer up,” advised Suka, ‘“ we not yet all dead.” Despite his gloomy feelings, Harvey could not restrain a laugh at the valet’s quaint way of expressing himself. Suka pulled him away from the rail- road track and led him toward the woods. “Where are we going, Suka?” asked Bowyer. ‘“ What’s the use in quitting the railroad?” 7 ‘You see,” replied the Jap, using his electric light freely until he singled out a spot which seemed likely to afford shelter. A big rock protected by a huge tree ap- peared like a friend waiting to welcome them. ‘““T will have to rest,” said Harvey. “You sleep, Mr, Bowyer,” suggested the Jap. “No, but I can at least rest.” __ “Ts Mr, Bowyer afraid?” asked the valet. ‘Not afraid; just deucedly uncom- fortable,” pettishly replied the heir to millions. ‘I suppose, though, I might as well die here as any other place. has ordered a plot against me. plain enough.”’ “Tf Mr. Bowyer not afraid—” 6 ARGOSY That’s AT GREEN GAP. Fate 273 “Look here, Suka, what do you take me for—a coward?” angrily demanded Harvey.. ‘“ Begging your pardon, Mr. Bowyer, but I will go see what I can see,” evaded the Jap. . “All right, Suka. here.” “If it rain, you are protected a leetle bit. You get not so much wet.” ‘“ But you will get wet, Suka.” “Oh, me! Me nomatter. I no care,” replied the Jap. ‘‘ Me come back soon with good news.”’ The next instant he was off and Harvey was left alone, a prey to bitter thoughts. Suka disappeared in the darkness, but he had not gone far before he stopped short. ‘““ Let me see,” he mused. ‘“ Which way. This or that?” Finally he chose a different course from the one they had taken before. On in the darkness he walked, stumbling against trees and rocks, but following the tracks as closely as possible. * His feet were beginning to tire of the tramp when his light suddenly revealed a dark object ahead. Suka muttered something in Japanese which would be equivalent to an American “hurrah.” His search was at an end. For there stood a rough log cabin. ‘Mr. Bowyer, he will be glad,” he said as an examination of the interior revealed the fact that it was dry, although bare of furnishings. “‘ He not die now.” His good memory and powers of ob- servation led him back to the rock where he had left his master. As the twigs crackled under his feet Harvey called out in apprehension: ““Who’s there?” ‘““ Jus’ me,-Mr. Bowyer,” replied the Jap. “I haw’ such good luck. I hav’ found the house. We go at once—lose no time, ‘cause I think storm really come quick now.” He merely mentioned the storm to spur Harvey on, for he knew that his master Go on. Tl wait COMICOO® S (C@