Adventure Magazine Cover — page 129: what you’re looking at

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

Sled Wheeler and the Nameless Order float and administered the first surprize. ‘We'll give you the worst one first, old chap!”’ He seized and wrung Dan’s hand with such a grip and such a beaming face that Dan did not need to look over Brendon’s shoulder at the blushing face behind him. “Shucks!”? said Dan, “It’s a fizzle—I knew it yesterday.” “But we didn’t know it ourselves until last night,’ Brendon protested. “TI say, you know!”’ “Well, what d’you expect when you’re in love?” Dan retorted. ‘You won’t be more than half-witted for a year or so yet. Everybody else knew it long ago—all but you two.” “But the wedding is to be tomorrow, and we sail on the Belle of Nippon with the prince,”’ Brendon confided, expecting to see incredulous surprize on Wheeler’s face at such indecent haste. But Dan’s instant response was: “T don’t take any stock in long engage- ments. What’s the matter with today?” It appeared there were various mysteries that made that impossible. But the bride- to-be wanted the privilege of attempting the second surprize on the way across the bay in the Lina W. “You know you brought out something from the Gold Cave in the cafjon—in the leather roll,” she began as if it were a matter of no importance. “Ves. Did it turn out to be ore?” Dan asked instantly. “You are the most disappointing person to surprize I ever saw!”’ Lina protested, her face falling pathetically. “I refuse to tell you any more about it.” “But that’s enough,” said Dan. ‘Great luck! It means a lot more value and bigger money for your future husband. Con- gratulate you both!” “Thanks—but that is not the point. You don’t deserve it.”” Lina turned away in dis- pleasure that was partly real. “Vou can tell him,” she said to the Englishman. *“The point is, don’t you know,” said Brendon with a wink at Dan, “we agreed that half the increase in value ought to go to you—since you were the discoverer of the new vein of ore. We don’t know just how much it will be—take time for analyses and all that—but it will be several thousands at least.” 119 “Moses! But what would I be doing with several thousand dollars? I’d lose it in—” Dan was protesting when Brendon broke in: “Not dollars—pounds! And you can have it in stock in the new company if you like. And why not? It’s yours just as fairly as the money paid to the man who dis- covered the first vein—and you earned it a lot more dangerously. I’d take it in your place, really.” And he meant it. ‘Well, perhaps,’ Dan considered, “TI will take it if her ladyship says it’s all right.” “Certainly it’s all right,” her ladyship responded warmly, turning her most bril- liant smile on Dan. “It should all be yours by rights—all that you discovered. Dis- covery-rights are all the rights a prospector has when he makes a strike, but his right to the price he gets is never questioned. In this case it will cost money to get out the ore, so—yes, I should say a half is the least you ought to have.” “That settles it—I’m a bloated mine- owner. For I shall take it in stock, so I won’t lose it all the first night,’ Dan decided on the instant. He was lionized and shown over the delightful new home the Senator had just moved into, and it would seem that there was every reason why he should be a care- free young man. But after dinner he found it hard to be even politely agreeable. He was in the viselike grip of one of his spells of moody silence, when it was physical pain to speak and impossible to think of anything to say. At such times he had learned that he must get away by himself or be allowed to sulk it out—no matter how much he might wish to please, he would only open his mouth, like the fabled Irishman, to put his foot in it. Drake and the Senator had come in time for dinner, fresh from buying out Garth’s real-estate—the hotel and the club-house. They had also settled up the mine business and were feeling satisfied with the world in general. After they had finished at table the Senator said: “Brendon, you are the only one we can spare to the ladies. We want Wheeler to talk over some business matters.” ‘“‘Are you going to keep him all the after- noon?” his wife asked. | “No—oh, no. We'll fix things ig a few minutes,” he answered absently. “Come on, Dan.” GOMIIGooOO S (© iin