Adventure Magazine Cover — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

Buried Gods doctor, ain’t yer? Well, yew give me this rag and [’ll give yer enough ter get back.” “But that’s no good,” said Dorsay. “T mean it doesn’t give any’ help to find the spot or the man who wrote the message. Why do you want it? You know all there is in it?” “That’s orl right. Let me ’ave it?” Dorsay looked at him. “Crafty eyes,” he thought. “Now, what’s behind all this? Has he deciphered something which has escaped me or what? No,” he replied aloud. “Ill give you a check—or an order on Nairobi if you like.” “Fat lot o’ good that is to me ’ere.”’ “Tell me what you want it for then.” “Me?” indignantly. “Not much! Jus’ sorter want ter ’ave it wiv me—ferluck.”’ “So do. I,” retorted Dorsay, smiling. “No. I’m sorry, but can’t let you have it.” “Oh, yew won’t, won’t yer?” said Dorkin with an ugly look. ‘“We’ll see abaht that.” Deliberately he placed the message in his pocket. ‘Why fer two pins I'll mike them niggers give yer = “Good !” interrupted Dorsay, and stared at the boy bearing the food, who was wearing a khaki jacket. ‘“‘That’s my coat!” He stared for a second at Dorkin, who was grinning at him insolently. “Why,” he said slowly, ‘“‘you must have put that man on to steal my coat, to get that message. Is that it? I see.” ‘Yew ain’t getting cross, I ’ope,’’ demand- ed Dorkin with a grin. “T’m liable to,” retorted Dorsay gravely. “Go on!” decisively. “fAs soon as the doctor had left the mill,” continued Dorsay, ‘“‘you sneaked off and tried to steala march on us! You’rea thief!” “Look ’ere, yew mind ’oo yer talking to,” blustered Dorkin, who wore his gun in the hip pocket, rising from his chair. “You put your hands on that gun and——” ® DORSAY leaped and struck. Dor- Oy kin went backward over the table. Wu As the native servant fled, he came up again like a cat and made a rush, cursing furiously. Dorsay met him with a left, which was partially countered. Dorkin got him with a right on the temple. A half-hook fram Dorsay’s right on the jaw jolted him badly, and a left swiftly following brought curses and blood. He ducked, jumped around the fallen table, came again, feinted and succeeded in reach- ing Dorsay’s jaw, which tumbled him on to the bed in back of the tent. Dorkin drew the gun as Dorsay was on his knees on the bed. Instinctively he jerked the dirty pillow at the man’s head. The bullet seared his hip as he sprang from the bed on top of Dorkin. The two clinched. Dorsay gripped his arm so that he could not aim. Two bullets went into the ground.. With a wrench -Dorsay managed to twist Dorkin’s wrist until he dropped the revolver; then, break- ing, Dorsay leaped back and put the whole of his might into one right punch for the jaw. Dorkin went backward over the can- vas wash-stand and lay still. From a distance came cries and shouts, but, without the tent, not a native was to be seen. Dorsay stepped over and recovered the message from the man’s pocket. Then picking up the revolver Dorkin had dropped he put Dorkin’s terai hat on his own head. Dorkin took the count and a bit more. As he raised himself on his elbow and saw Dorsay he scrambled to his feet, bent on continuing the fight. He faced the gun and stopped bewilderedly, not realizing that he had been knocked out. “You sit down and try to behave,” ad- vised Dorsay quietly. A torrent of language answered him. “Now quit that. D’you want me to punch you again?” Dorkin informed him foully that there were several different sorts of white-livered curs. Some of the epithets brought a flush to the young man’s face. Dorkin saw it and persevered. Dorsay was well aware of the difficulties of his position and what game Dorkin was playing; but finally a certain reference was insupportable. ‘See here Dorkin,”’ he said with apparent difficulty in speaking, “‘you’ve been whipped and you know it, but if you don’t under- stand this ll surely smash you with my bare hands until you yelp. D’you get me?” The answer was unprintable. “Just you walk in front of me to the back of the tent. Your gun’s in here on the bed. Now get!” As Dorsay threw off his coat and Dorkin’s terai hat—fortunately the sun was very low —Dorkin obeyed, cursing but game. Dor- say had intended to fight at the rear of the VOOLKS COMMUCE ee (F@)