The Argosy, Vol. XXIV No. 2 — page 85: what you’re looking at

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

THE RIVER OF DARKNESS. 277 ‘“ Ah, an Englishman,’’ he said, coming up to Guy and holding out his hand, an action which Guy professed not to see. ‘You are going to Berbera, perhaps,’’ he went on, nowise discomfited by the rebuff. ‘“No,’’ said Guy shortly. ‘‘ To Zaila.’’ ‘“Ah, yes, Zaila! You have friends there, perhaps? I, too, am ac- quainted. I know very well Sir Arthur Ashby, the governor at Zaila.’’ His keen eyes scanned Guy’s face closely, and noted the faint gleam of surprise at this information. | But Guy was too clever to be thrown off his guard. ‘“Yes,’’ he said. ‘‘I know some people here. I have not the pleasure of Sir Arthur’s acquaintance.’’ He would have turned away at this point, but the man pulled a card from his pocket and presented it to him. Guy glanced it over with interest : C. MANUEL TORRES, Trader at Aden and Berbera. ‘A vile Portuguese slave hunter,’’ he thought to himself. ‘Well, Mr. Torres,’’ he said. ‘‘I am sorry that I have no cards about me, but my nate is Chutney.’’ The Portuguese softly whispered the name once or twice. ‘Then, without further questioning, he offered Guy a cigar, and lit one himself. Manuel Torres proved to be quite an interesting companion, and gave Guy a vivid account of the wonders of the fair. As they went below at dinner time he pointed out on the corner of the dock a great stack of wooden boxes. ‘‘Those are mine,’’ he said. ‘‘ They contain iron and steel implements for the natives and Arabs.’’ | ‘They look like rifle cases,’’ Guy remarked carelessly ; and, looking at the Portuguese as he spoke, he fancied that the dark face actually turned gray for an instant. In a moment they were seated at the table, and the brief occurrence was forgotten. All that afternoon they steamed on across the gulf, overhead the blue and cloudless sky, beneath them waters of even deeper blue, and at sunset the yellow coast line of the African continent loomed up from the purple distance. : Guy had been dozing under an awning most of the afternoon, but now he came forward eagerly to get his first glimpse of eastern Africa. To his great disappointment, the captain refused to land. It was risky, he said, to make a landing at night, and it would be dark when they entered the harbor. They must lie at anchor till morning. Most of the night Guy paced up and down the deck, sleeping at brief intervals, and listening with eager curiosity to the strange sounds that floated out on the air from the shore, where the flickering glare of many torches could be seen. Stretched on a mattress, the Portuguese slept like a log, without once awakening. Before dawn the anchors were lifted, and at the captain’s suggestion Guy CoORmMiclooolks 5}