Adventure Magazine Cover, August 18, 1921 — page 143: what you’re looking at

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

The Throwback 137 “Oh, ja. That’s more like it. I was for- getting that part,’ Charlie admitted. “What d’vou want to buy?” The Kafir pointed. “Limbo, M’Lungu.” Then his hand indicated farther along the shelves. ‘‘And brass wire and copper wire and beads.”’ Leisurely Charlie reached down the things required. “What do you want with limbo and wire, Rooikop? You haven’t got any girl. No girl’d have you,” he said in English. As if comprehending perfectly the native looked him straight in the eyes. “Oh, yes, I have, M’Lungu,” he answered in Kafir. For several minutes the Kafir pawed over the different bolts of limbo and eventually decided to take rather large pieces from two or three patterns. After which he picked out several coils of wire and a quantity of beads. “Going strong,” each white man thought to himself. Slowly the Kafir piled the things he’d chosen together, then once more his eyes roved along the _ shelves. Suddenly they brightened up — lighted up and gleamed. “T want that, M’Lungu.” Laughing, Charlie reached behind him and produced the article pointed out. “You can’t have that, Rooikop. I wouldn’t sell that meerschaum for a hundred pounds. It’s taken me years to color that pipe.” “Let me look at it, M’Lungu,” the Kafir pleaded. Dubiously Charlie handed it over. “Be careful, Rooikop.” . Tenderly the Kafir handled the pipe and looked at it from every point of view. His face was a regular study of happiness. His fingers seemed almost to caress the gray- brown carving. “Tl give you more than a hundred pounds for it, Jf’Lungu,”’ he suddenly shot out in his own language. Charlie stood back with a jolt. “How the d’you know what I’m saying?”’ he asked. But the Kafir was glum. “‘Where’s vour money, anyway?” For answer the Kafir unhesitatingly reached to his side and busily untied a large round ball of what appeared to be dirty rags from a belt. Confidently he slammed the ball of rags on the counter. “Nangu, M’Lungu. There it is.” In deep wonderment Charlie and the Kid at the back of the counter closed in front of the Kafir. An arm-belt or a leg-belt or-a waist-belt might contain money. A bundle of rags looked suspicious. But the Kafir, utterly ignoring them, was intent only on his own affairs. First one dirty rag came off and was laid aside, then another. After that another and another. And each indi- vidual rag was tightly knotted and with teeth and fingers had to be patiently unfastened. . ‘“‘Whatever money he’s got in there must be gold at least,’’ Charlie surmised. “Gold or very high value notes,” the Kid agreed. The ball of rags became smaller. And smaller and smaller. Came down to the size of a large hen egg. The last rag was removed. “Nangu, M’Lungu. Nangu male. There’s money,” and the Kafir held up a piece of grayish crystal. Dazedly Charlie looked round into the eyes of the Kid. His face twitched, his eyes twitched. “Well, Pll be ——!” he said. “A trapl Trying to trap a fellow in as clumsy a way as that.” “What kind of a ‘trap’ d’you mean, Charlie?” the Kid asked innocently. “Trap? Why, the beggar’s come from Kimberley. And he’s trying to sell me stolen diamonds.” At the word Kimberley the Kafir’s eyes went wide open. His mouth went wide open. “kona Kimblele. Not Kimblele, M’Lungu,” he protested indignantly. “Where from, then?” “Lapa,” and the Kafir pointed vaguely away to the north and in the opposite direction to the diamond-mines. Gingerly Charlie took the big diamond and carefully examined it. And as he ex- amined it his eyes fairly bulged out and his lips went dry. For several minutes he turned it over and over, held it to the light, tapped it and endeavored to estimate its weight. “It’s a wonder—a beauty,” he said en- thusiasticallv. “It’s worth anywhere from five to twenty-thousand pounds. I’ve worked in the Premier and I’ve worked on the Vaal River diggings and in the Somabula COmiclboolks C©