Adventure Magazine Cover — page 81: what you’re looking at

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

FORBIDDEN TREASURE by Beatrix Demarest Lloyd and Esher Martin SYNOPSIS: Mark Stuart, on a geological expedition to Iceland, finds there an American yacht with its millionaire invalid owner Mr. Lee, his daughter Nora, and his physician Dr. Berwind. At Haldr’s inn Nora treats Stuart with undue haughtiness, and keen hostility arises between them. A treasure bloodily stolen by ancient Vikings from a Sicilian abbey had been cursed by the dying Abbot so that when brought to Ice- land the curse made an ice-desert of a once fertile part of the island (a phenomenon unexplained by science). An Icelandic family, the Olafsens, murdered the surviving Vikings and the curse falls on them, the last of them dying of small-pox in the ruined ‘‘ Olaf’s Tower” shortly after Stuart’s arrival. and throws down the ancient bell. CHAPTER IX ‘“ SUPPOSE IT’S ALL TRUE!”’ RWIND, with his characteristic thoroughness, fumigated the tower, but he also vaccinated Stuart, much to that gentleman’s disgust. He had brought Healy to carry his appa- ratus—a task the man might have been disinclined to accept, in his new position as mate, had he not been moved by some curiosity himself to learn more of the For- bidden Treasure. Healy looked at the bell partly with interest and partly with fury as he considered the probable trip back to the club-house with the trophy, while Stuart sat munching biscuits and nursing his lame arms and legs. When Berwind' was satisfied with his job, they slung the bell on a stout cane of his and started homeward. He had had little time up to now to consider the treas- ure-trove, though he had given Stuart an angry lecture on his foolhardiness. ‘But it occurs to me,” he said, as they went warily down hill, “that we are committing highway robbery.”’ “‘That’s all right,” said Stuart. ‘‘I meta Stuart climbs the tower portly old politician in a wadmol gown this morning hereabouts. Calls himself a sysle- man, whatever that is, and can undoubtedly be squared for a modest consideration.” "OF course it may be an imprudent ques- tion,” said Berwind, “‘but what on earth do you want with the thing?” “T had an inspiration, old man. Several of them. First I wondered if it wouldn’t be a rather interesting old bell anyway, being the original from Archangel Michael’s place. Then I wondered if the Olafsens might not have inscribed it with their sufferings and penitential prayers. And then I bethought me that Mr. Lee could probably tell us all about it. You can see that it is covered with fe “Dirt,” said Berwind. “Inscriptions,” returned Stuart, laugh- ing. “It may be a God-send,”’ said the Doc- tor, half wearily. ‘‘Let’s shift a minute— so.”” He swung the heavy cane to his other shoulder. “It might serve to wake Mr. Lee to his old self. I’d carry it all my life, if it would.” “Vou think,” interrupted Stuart, “he could decipher this?” The Doctor hesitated. “T am quite posi- 837 COMIGHOO 5}