The Argosy, Volume XLIV — page 245: what you’re looking at

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

THE CRUISE OF THE HANDICAP. among the trees, the chief turned and uttered a loud shout. The people of the queen's village looked expectantly. Makolota took his spear in both hands and drove it down into the ground. Then he stalked away without another word. But there was loud tumult in the queen’s village, and I saw that she was excessively pale. Her pallor was more marked because formerly her face had been flushed. Now the dead white skin against her dark and luxuriant hair made a striking - contrast. “It is as I feared,” she said. “ It 1s ‘war. You had better get on your raft and go.” cé Go! > P| you?” “Tt is not your fight. I may be com- pelled to go with you, but that is far from my desire. This is all I have in the world, and I like the life. I hke most of my people, and I did like Mako- lota. He is a powerful chief. But if it is war, we must be prepared. I shall order my people to get ready.” “But what do you expect?” asked Mr. Donaldson. “Is there any way of telling from his actions what the fel- low actually wants?” “What he wants? He wants me to marry him.” “Yes, I know. But I mean, can you get at his immediate intentions? ” “ Yes, that spear means war and lots of it. He will go back now and marshal all he can get among the people on the island and attack us. I must send out runners.” “Your majesty, I’m a candidate for office,” said Ross. “I want to be com- mander of your army.” “ But vou will be killed.” “In your service ? I yearn for death m such a cause.’ The queen smiled, but it was a smile that exhibited her anxiety. “T do not think vou long for death. I am sure I do not.” “Oh, I can stand this fleeting life a while longer while it continues to fleet. But I really must have a crack at Mako- lota.” “Well, I will tell Dako.” Dako proved to be an undersized in- 4A said Ross. “ And desert 24] dividual with an immense nose made prominent with a bamboo stick thrust through it. He was clad in more ortho- dox fashion than was Makolota, but even he could not have been accused by his worst enemy of having a superfluity of clothing. He listened while the queen informed him'that Ross was to have charge of the fighting forces. ““T will obey,” he said in plain Eng- lish. “It seems to me,” remarked Foster, “that as long as Ross insists.on getting tangled up in this mess, we’ve got to stand by him. He is uscless on earth, Vil admit. But it wouldn’t do to go back to New York and say that he was killed in war while we remained non- combatants and knew what was going on.” “No,” I said. “ We will take part in the scrimmage. But for my part I think the presence of five white men, four of them well. armed with modern repeat- ing rifles, will have a deterrent effect on the enemy. I do not expect to. sce much of a war.” “Tl fear you will,” answered the queen. “ Makolota is a fighting chief. He is really to be feared.” The drums began beating in the vil- lage, and Ross strode among the gathering warriors to “size up,” as he said, “ whom to let get killed first.” CHAPTER XIX. THE WAR BEGINS. I was amazed at Ross. I never knew a man to develop the energy and ability he did in a few hours. As a joker he was preéminent. Light hearted, happy-go-lucky, we all liked him. But from the time the village of the white queen was in danger, Ross became a soldier and a general. He did not even stop to confer with Foster and myself. The professor was absolutely beneath his attentions as an adviser, and he did not know that Mr. Donaldson was alive. | He had a meeting of the village chiefs who could speak English, and outlined his plan. He learned from them the method of warfare among the (GO) MICO SS (COL