Adventure Magazine, March 1916 — page 88: what you’re looking at

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

JU Tee? ee RM CY ONY Aas Sy A Tee ee hee Oo at . Figs toe A ee ANS % ’ rar j ya ‘ . $ LAE ne ’ : 4 A) W) 86 Adventure and the rustling of underbrush warned them and it was not long before they could hear that the men were close. him, too. He was following out Savage’s They crouched low and held their breaths as the voices and footsteps passed seemingly almost within reaching distance and con- tinued on down to the shore. Here one of the men struck a match and puffed vigor- ously at his pipe, the flare throwing all three into relief and showing that they had gone to the boat and seated themselves for a comfortable consultation, It was difficult at first to make out what they were saying. Two of the men talked in ordinary conversational tones, but the third had a rumbling bass voice that car- ried fairly clearly to them. “That is Savage,” the girl whispered when he first spoke. One of the other man seemed to be doing most of the talking. They could hear his voice rising and falling in inflections that were persuasive, as if he were arguing gently but persistently with his companions. But Savage’s voice broke in upon him and the two lying breathless under the near-by bushes could distinguish his words plainly. “Yes, Carter,” he said. ‘And not only that. The thing’s got t’ be done; that’s all. We agreed to it and we’ve gone too fur t’ back out. Besides, th’ money’s too easy and too big t’ let slip jest because your brother’s chicken-hearted. We've gone into this thing with our eyes open and th’ mon- ey’s as good as in our hands and more as we want it for ever and ever, amen. And now that we’ve got it cinched so, I’ll be if I’m going t’ let him keep me from getting what’s as good as mine now. No, sir; I ain’t.” The younger Carter answered him, rais- ing his voice so that they could hear a part of what he said. He was defending his brother; making a strong plea for him and he ended by saying, ‘‘If Dan don’t want to go into this thing, let him get out and go his own way.” But Savage antgrrupted him with a curse. _ “Tt’s too late for that,” he geclaved: “Dan knows too much now. As long as he lived, th’ rest of us wouldn’t be safe. No sir; Dan goes into this thing and does his part or I’ll be one t’ give him what’ll keep us safe from him in th’ future. And you can go on up to th’ camp and tell him so.”’ Here Tom again took up his persuasive line of attack, but his voice grew stronger and shriller as he saw Carter’s obstinacy, first thought of the permanent financial value to all of them of the success of their plan. “Why, man,” he said, “think of what we'll each get in a lump! "That's enough all by itself. But suppose you do spend yours. - All you’ve got to do is go to the boss and say, ‘Here; come across. I need some more, and how’s he going to refuse you? Don’t you see? He wouldn’t dare refuse you—not as long as he lives. We'll all be independent for life the minute this thing’s put across. Make your brother see it that way and tell him not to get sentimental about it and spoil his chance, and all our chances.” “Not mine, he won’t spoil,” Savage growled belligerently. ‘I’m telling you straight, Carter. Your brother goes into this here thing along with the rest of us or he’s going t’ get just what th’ old man gets— and I’ll give it to him myself. You tell him that.. And Matt’s with me and I guess we can depend on Tom. Eh, Tom?” “Well, yes,” Tom agreed. ‘“I’d hate to see it come to that, but if it does, I’m with the crowd. It’s too good a chance to lose because one man’s soft-hearted, and I ain’t going to lose mine on no such account.” Fenton felt the girl’s hand reach out and grip his arm hard, her fingers closing’ con- vulsively over his flesh. She drew him to her and, with her lips close to his ear, whis- pered tremblingly— “Did you hear what they said?” “Yes. Sh—h!” “‘I—I believe my father 1 is not—is not dead yet.” “No. Wait.” She listened again in silence, but her hand did not release his arm. The grip Was no longer convulsive; it was firm and steady and close, as though she sought the comfort- ing certainty of his nearness to her in the darkness. They strained.their ears again to hear the voices that came from the shore. Savage was just ending a speech that they had not heard. “Well,” Carter agreed after a moment’s silence, “I’ll go up and see what I can do, But I don’t believe Dan’ll listen to reason. He’s funny that way.” “And don’t forget,’’ Savage warned, “‘if he stays. obstinate, _something’ll happen to him mighty quick. The sound of scraping on the sand told (EC) 0\(0)(0) ANNIE Ss (E@ |