Adventure Magazine Cover — page 134: what you’re looking at

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

124 Drake raised a face that was drawn with misery. “T am afraid it is solemn truth, but I had not realized it before,’”’ he said slowly. “We knew Garth’s plan for tomorrow night. Inhuman and incredible as it was, it would have succeeded if we had not discovered it and prepared to stop him. Now he knows we have discovered it and he will make another—just as murderous and no doubt just as effective—and I am the one who is to blame for it all.” : “But we have until tomorrow night to discover and circumvent his plot,’’ Lu Yan pointed out placidly. “TI have no doubt Dan will succeed—he never fails.” “Try to make him understand how much we depend on him,” Drake urged. “I can’t say anything to him—and I must tell the Senator. Perhaps we can do something, but I haven’t much faith. I tell you this man Garth is a real fiend. I never fully realized ws Dan came along the passage, and Drake paused to look up at the door as Wheeler entered the room. He had got into his own clothes, and looked as neatly well-groomed as if he had had an hour for the process. “T am going out to see about a few things —my costume for this evening for one—and I may not be back before the ball. Come on!” The last words were to the Brahmin, who had silently risen from his squatting posture in the corner. “What will your costume be?” Drake could not help asking quickly. “T am going as myself,”’ said Dan, “since I am supposed to be dead. I am coming in after the Grand March, and will tell the announcer to shout— ““¢*The Late Sled Wheeler!’ “That is supposed to be funny!” He snapped the last over his shoulder as he passed out, his thin lips a-curl. “‘He ought not to take such a risk,’”’ Drake said to Lu Yan in an undertone. ‘Garth may have him sandbagged or shot. Can’t you stop him?” Even as Lu Yan shook his head the Brah- min, who had paused to listen, turned at the door to say with authority: “His movements may in no way be ham- pered or hindered. Those are my instruc- tions—more particularly at this time.” And he was gone in Wheeler’s wake. “What does he mean by that?” asked Drake. Adventure “He has instructions from the prince, no doubt,” Lu Yan responded. “Or perchance he has been gazing in the crystal sphere and seen what is to occur.”’ “T wish he could tell us what that devil, Garth, is going to do tomorrow night,” Drake said dully. “TI will take that roll with me anyhow, and carry it until the time comes to deliver both aboard the steamer.” “Be very cautious, and take no chances yourself,” charged the Chinaman. “No danger tonight,” said Drake. “Good night!” And he left Chinatown carrying one of the sacred gems in the leather roll, in an inside pocket of his vest. In his head, also, he carried the knowledge of the whereabouts of the mate to that gem. Nobody else had any hint of where he had kept it so well concealed, and he intended to keep that secret until he could deliver both safely to the prince, after the captain of the Belle of Nippon was ready to guarantee to protect both the gems and the prince. That time was still more than twenty-four hours off. Meanwhile the great masquerade was to take place that evening. CHAPTER XVI Vie of those who were present tell of that historic ball to this day, with varying degrees of exaggeration and en- thusiasm, but they all agree that it was the most brilliant and memorable of all the social events up to that date. Everybody was there with wife and daughter, and the big floor was filled. The gymnasium of the Cascad@ Club was decorated in rich colors, and the music was the best the Coast could boast. Senator Sands was popular among the best people, who had heard of his sudden purchase of the hotel and club, and wel- ‘comed the news of Garth’s immediate departure—making the occasion a sort of informal housewarming and expression of their delight. Many of these were openly jubilant among themselves at the prospect of being rid of the corrupt boss whose inhuman crimes had only lately come to belt. |, . 7 Yet Garth was there, insolently smiling and triumphant beneath his mask and scar- let horned head-dress. For he was fittingly costumed as Mephistopheles—a gracefully striking figure in scarlet silk tights—when he GOMIIGoOO S (© iin