Adventure, November 1915 — page 67: what you’re looking at

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

The Gold Lust dawn, as the tide changed to flood, there was a stir aboard the Lez Lehua, the sound of a winch, the rattle of a chain and the bustle of hoisting sails. Tuan Yuck stood aft giving orders. “T believe they’ve given it up,” said Ad- dams. ‘“‘We can hardly hope for that, though it may be a bluff.” But the schooner hoisted her headsails and passed through the reef, standing away close-hauled on a long off-shore tack, ap- parently bound for Honolulu. CHAPTER XXIV TUAN YUCK MOVES A PPAMS waited until the Lez Lehua, close-hauled to the north, was hull down. “‘The wind’s pretty light,” he said. ‘They couldn’t get back now inside of three hours. I wonder what’s happened. It seems almost too good to be true. I suppose they’ve quarreled amongst themselves. Henley is likely to have a nasty trip back.” “You don’t think they could have found the gold?” asked Peggy. Addams smiled at her. It looked as if his strategy had succeeded, and he could afford to relax the strain that had lined his face and taxed strength and nerves to a limit the girl was far from suspecting. “T don’t think so,” he said. ‘‘Anyway, we'll find out. This is our chance to get clear. We'll send a boat around to get the gold. They can set you and Jim and me ashore to cut across the ridge. It will take two trips to transport it. Let’s get started. Once at sea, and the treasure below decks, we’re through with trouble!”’ The port boat was launched, putting the three ashore, while Ah Sing and his country- men rowed around the cape. Selim was left on board. In case of the sudden return of the schooner or any signs of alarm he was to fire three shots from his rifle and, if possi- ble, warn them from the ridge. All went armed, Even Peggy carried a spare auto- matic pistol. Addams was determined to carry out precaution to the finish, clear though the coast seemed to be. The day was clear and cloudless, the sun brilliant. Flocks of birds wheeled crying in the blue, and the weather seemed a harbinger of ultimate success. : As the three neared the cliff, after watch- §5 ing the boat disappear behind a headland, a figure came hesitatingly from the rocks and advanced haltingly toward them, dragging one foot over the sand. It was Henley, wobegone, crestfallen, one hand raised in deprecation of expected hostilities. He essayed a cringing smile as Addams, covering him with his automatic, ordered him to keep his distance. “T can’t do you any harm,” whined Hen- ley, holding his hands high above his head. “T was afraid to come out at first, knowing you held hard thoughts against me, but I’m down. I’m at your mercy. I had a right to a share of the gold, if any one did, but it’s gone. Fellowes has played us all a dirty trick. He’s laughing in his grave at all of us now, the canting hypocrite!” “Why are you left behind?” asked Ad- dams sternly. “Why? Because I trusted to a slant- eyed, yeller-skinned cur who turned on me after all I’ve done for him. Why? Because I’m marooned. That’s why. Marooned on an island where there ain’t no food, nor no water! Left us to die of starvation and thirst, them! Without a drop or crum!”’ He shook his clenched fists in impreca- tion. “T didn’t have you treated hard, miss,” he appealed to Peggy. “TI left my sister be- hind to see you wasn’t left without food. You won’t see me left here to die, will you?” He threw himself on the sand, his hands clutching at the grit, a spectacle of despair. “Who do you mean by ‘us’?” asked Ad- dams. “Is your sister here too?” Henley, still groveling, raised his head. *‘She’s back there,” he said. ‘You ain’t going to be hard on a woman?” From a niche in the cliff-wall came the woman, clad in sailor’s clothes like a man, grimly defiant as she walked toward them. “We can’t leave them to die, Archer,” pleaded Peggy. Addams hesitated. It was no time to con- sider the ultimate disposition of the miser- able pair, though thoughts of punishment for their treatment of Peggy in particular, _were still paramount. At the sight of the girl’s face he yielded, temporarily. “We won’t leave them here,” he said. “Get up, man!” he told Henley. ‘We'll take- you back to Honolulu. You,” he added to the woman, ‘‘can stay here. We can use your brother.” (e@) DoOoOk (©)