Adventure Magazine Cover — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

6 Adventure As silently as before, the doctor pro- duced a bottle and glasses, and, thrusting some Indian cigars before his guest, lounged before the fire and appeared to fall into a reverie. Dorsay sipped his liquor and be- gan to grow uncomfortable in the presence of this mute image. Not knowing what to do, he began to fidget with the chain and essayed a question regarding native charms. ‘To his surprize the doctor blinked at him in the light of the fire like a terrier on a rug, and, without pre- amble, launched into a most discursive mood, describing East Africa and his adven- tures. Interested in the story, Dorsay forgot the charm until some hours later the doctor, noticing it in his hand, asked him where he had gotten it. “Yours is probably merely some leaves from a sacred tree—if it’s Wondorobo— giving keen sight to the hunter.” The expert’s opinion somehow depreci- ated the value of the purchase in Dorsay’s mind; and, prompted by an idea, Fe tore off the wrapping. The doctor, reading the reaction in his guest’s mind, watched him amusedly. Inside the outer filthy rag was a skin covering, and within that was wrapped what appeared to be another piece of rag, fairly clean. “Good Lord, what is it?” he ejaculated as he smoothed out in the palm of his hand what was evidently a piece of cloth torn from a shirt with dark stains upon it. “Oh,” said the doctor casually, “probably some part of the clothes of some murdered white which they think will give the wearer the power of a white. They think, you know, that whatever belongs to you is part of the soul, and consequently me “But there’s writing on it—in blood!” exclaimed Dorsay. “Look!” He spread out the remnant closer to the light of the fire. “Look! ‘Mount Elgon—help—buried—’ What’s that word? And this?” “Let me see,” said the doctor quietly. He gazed at the message anew. “Can’t see. Get a light.” He rose, lighted a lamp, and flattened out the rag on the table. “That’s ‘Mount right enough. Now, what’s buried? others are indecipherable.” “What d’you think’s buried?” demanded Dorsay. Elgon—help—buried’ The “Tvory probably. There’s much buried ivory all over the country.” “But why should any one——” * “Blood. Nothing else to write with. Possibly dying.” “Can’t make it out,” persisted Dorsay. “Mount Elgon,’” he repeated slowly, “ *help—buried;’ something about ‘live’ and ‘gods’—and written in blood. What on earth can it mean? Where is ‘Mount Elgon?’ ” “To the northwest about a hundred miles.” “By ——, doctor,” Dorsay exclaimed, looking up, ‘I’m going to find out what it does mean!” ‘“T shouldn’t, young man. It’s a dangerous country there. It’s not opened up. Sev- eral have gone up there, but few ever come back. Probably this fellow was one.” “All the more reason to find out,” per- sisted Dorsay. ‘‘Perhaps the ivory, or whatever it is, is still there.” “Possibly, and possibly not,” returned the doctor, yawning. “I’m going to turn in. D’you want anything? Another drink? No? Well, good night then.” But half the night Dorsay stared into the flickering fire, clutching the mysterious message in his hand. It Suse DORSAY was awakened by a boy sata with the coffee. The chain he found wound about his wrist as if symbolical of his determination not to re- linquish the idea evoked by the message in the charm. Through the window the hard stars were paling. Resentfully he eyed the stocky outline of the doctor pulling on his pants. The doc- tor grunted some unintelligible greeting and went out. By the time Dorsay had hastily ’ dragged on his clothes and followed into the other room the day had come. ‘Good Lord!’ he exclaimed. “Snow!” For the clearing and the shack roofs were gleaming white beneath them as the sun shot above the trees as if hauled rapidly by stage mechanism. “Hoar-frost every night,’’ snapped the doctor, slopping in a basin. “Let me look at your charm,” he added as he threw the water out of the door. The rays of the mounting sun confirmed the previous night’s discovery. The rag COMMICOOOKS (F@)