Argosy All-Story Weekly, 4 February 1922 — page 45: what you’re looking at

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

THE BANDIT OF BATAKALAND. it all right with the new chap’s name, I put him out next month. I won't have crooks working for me. Well, after you’d gone I said to meself, ‘ That young feller has a mind of his own. He’s straight as a die.’ And you mayn’t know it, but it ain’t an easy matter to find a honest man in this damn country. If you hadn’t shook me, I'd. have called you back and took you on again. But my pride wouldn’t let me.” Dean, interested as he was in studying the human phenomenon before him, was at the same time keenly alert. He won- dered why Eltzmann was laying it on so thick. “ So, as I said,” the little man continued, drumming his fingers nervously upon his desk, “‘I was glad to hear we’d got you. Couldn’t have done better. When can you start in?” “ At once,” answered Dean. ‘“ But I’d like a little mote information first. I un- derstand that the Fulani Fields are not be- ing worked at present?” “ Well, we have stopped work just now,” said Eltzmann, ‘“ but we’re going to start up again just as soon as we get these trou- bles settled. There ain’t any good rock drillers up here.» They’re mostly Cornish- men, and Cornishmen’s like sheep—either you've got them or you ain’t. And the niggers is scared away by something or other. That don’t matter, Mr. Jarvis.” He turned upon Dean sharply. ‘“ All we want you to do,” he said, “ is to go out there and take general control. You won’t be responsible for nothing until we've started operations again. We want you on the spot. There’s a watchman there, and there’s an engineer feller to see the machinery’s oiled. You go out to be boss. And if the pay ain’t enough, I'll make it a hundred and fifty. How’ll that suit you?” It suited Dean admirably, but the eager- ness of Eltzmann to engage him, coming on top of Wimborne’s, puzzled him con- siderably. There were plenty of mining managers to be had, even in Santa Maria. “ The only thing,” continued Eltzmann, “is that we expect you to stick to it, and not leave your job. A six months’ contract at a hundred and fifty, and a hundred pounds for your outfit and passage meney —'ow about it?” “T’'ll take it,’’ answered Dean, Eltzmann smirked all over. his face. “Good boy!” he said, clapping him on the shoulder. ‘ Can you start in to work to-morrow? It’s fifteen miles from here, but the coach ’ll drop you.” “To-morrow will suit me,” said Dean. “You'll start to-day, so far as the pay goes,” said Eltzmann. “ ’Ere’s the con- tract. Put your name there. “Arf a mo’, Mr, Jarvis,” He rang his bell, and a clerk appeared from the adjoining office. “ I want you to 355 witness a signature, Mr. Gibbons,” said — Eltzmann, Dean was glancing over the contract. It embodied exactly what he had been told, but there was a clause absolving the com- pany from all liability in case of his death or injury. Dean, who had no mother or potential widow to hold in mind, did not care about that. He signed, and Gibbons witnessed the document in duplicate, and Dean put a copy in his pocket. When the clerk was gone, Eltzmann wrote Dean a check for a hundred pounds, and handed it to him, together with. a bunch of keys, which he took out of a little safe. ‘The watchman has duplicates to most of them,” he said. ‘“ But this ’ere’s the key of the company .vault at Fulani. The safe combination’s F7M. Good-by, Mr. Jarvis, and I wish you joy of your new undertak- ing. You won’t need to show no papers.” There was a touch of the magnate about Eltzmann’s farewell.. Dean, seeing that he was not expected to shake hands, turned away. He had almost reached the door when he heard Eltzmann call him. He turned back. The financier had risen, and was standing beside his desk, his face white and strained. “Come ere! boy!” he said. He laid his hand upon Dean’s shoulder. Dean was amazed to see something like a tear in Eltzmann’s eye. “ T called you a damn fool to go and take a. job like that!” blustered Eltzmann. “*Ere’s your damn contract. Tear it up and get out!” You — damn — fool— Eomicboo ‘S ; (E90) Aas ~ *. = — = a —€ * . ee