The Argosy, Christmas 1912 — page 75: what you’re looking at

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

LOOSING THE TEMPEST. “ Certainly. We shall probably find my men at the cave.” The Englishman warped his long body out of the launch, and we all turned to the cave, Joloff walking with Miss Sanderman, Morley escorting Mrs. Sanderman, Donaldson leading the way, and Ordway with me, bring- ing up the rear. ‘““Do you see a spot on the horizon, Dag?” Ordway asked 1n a low tone. “T see visions, not spots. I see black clouds of war. If Sanderman doesn’t give himself up soon, or is not found, I foresee trouble toward both Sundays. On the one hand there will be a fight between Ravary and Donaldson, and, on the other, some sort of trouble be- tween Donaldson and Joloff. Did you see him smile? ”’ “Did I? And did you see the way she looked into those eyes of his? Dag, when we get back to civilization we'll turn playwrights. This thing is going to be staged.” “Yes, if we don’t get killed in the mélée when it comes.” We did not get far on our way to the cave. The men from the Vigilante had evidently noticed the arrival of the launch and were weary of waiting. The subaltern saluted his commander. ‘Captain, we have searched every foot of the island. We have found nobody.” We stood aghast. “ He is there!’ bawled Ravary, now beside himself with rage. “ He must be there!” “ We did not find him, sir,”’ said the officer coldly. “He is in that forest. Ill have him out. Tl burn him out. Tl. set fire to the forest, and then he’ll have to come out.” Into the eyes of the islander came that same ominous dark fire, sending, it seemed, flashes of deadly hate from the pupil. “VYou—a French policeman—will burn my forest?” he said slowly. “Yes, I will burn every tree. have my prisoner.” Pit 61 ( Then that face that had baffled Ord- way and me so many weeks writhed in a tortured rage the man had never felt before in his life. I felt a cold grip holding me. I could no more have spoken than if I was born without a tongue. “You! You will burn my forest! You will burn a man! ” The islander leaped forward. Joloff stood in his way and went over like a ninepin. Alma Sanderman screamed. Mrs. Sanderman fainted. Collins, who had had nothing to say, seemed stunned. The islander grabbed the inspector with both hands. The inspector cursed and tried to get out his pistol.. He was lifted high in the air above Donaldson’s head. The islander leaped toward the shore. There was a startled cry from Dela- touche, and a scream from Ravary. The next instant the latter had been hurled like an empty bottle twenty-five feet out into the chilling sea. CHAPTER XXIX. ““T RULE ILERE!”’ Every man from the Vigilante fol- lowed the young officer into the water after Inspector Ravary. There was a great shouting and splashing, curses from Ravary, who, though he was, I knew, an excellent inspector of police, was a mighty poor swimmer. He floundered among the floating cakes of ice, and, without assistance, would as- suredly have drowned. The first man to move, aside from the Vigilante’s crew, was Gordon Mor- ley. He stepped quickly to my side. “There is a mystery here I don't understand, Dagwell,’ he said. “I know, of course, that Mark Sander- man struck Nicasse with an iron rod, and came here in his air-ship, and 1s hiding from the French police. But who is this tiger of the island? He dresses like a gentleman, and calls the forest his. I know nothing about this CoOMmicbook CO