Adventure Magazine Cover, October 1911 — page 71: what you’re looking at

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

Forbidden Treasure outline of the inverted figure on the bell and then pointed outward to the shore. On the right hand rose a black truncated peak, whose sheer, dark walls were capped with a flat table-land of snow. Confronting this dwarfed and headless hill, on the other side of the fiord, towered a serrated double- cratered peak whose twin streams of lava, cooling, had hardened themselves in two lofty twisted spires. “You see?” asked Stuart, and his exulta- tion was in his voice. Nora’s grasp tight- ened on his shoulder. ‘“‘It is the same!” she cried, thrilled with excitement. “‘You may be right, Mr. Stuart. Father, could it be a picture, a picture of the mountains themselves?” “By George!” cried Mr. Lee. “I believe ”” He looked back and forth from the bell to the mountains. As the heavy treas- ure lay upon Stuart’s knees the outline was photographic. Stuart’s breath came short. “You see, the Bull? What could it be but the two- horned monstrosity on the left there? And opposite—Sigurda!”? He sank back. “I say, do you suppose that thing we took for the handle of a cup—do you suppose that could have been the Red Rock of Half, the beak jutting out?” Berwind took a long breath. He glanced at the grotesque hill forms beyond the harbor waters, then back at their facsimile, rude but unmistakable, upon the bell. “You are not stupid, Stuart,” he observed briefly. fe during the night and the next morn- ing registered a more intense cold than they had yet endured. But Stuart in his new strength was awake and aboutearly, urging a shoreward expedition. idea that he had happened upon the grave of the forbidden treasure set him a-tingling. Mr. Lee was eager as well. And Berwind —well, Berwind and Stuart were both poor men and could not look wholly unmoved upon the prospect of being released in one hour of glorious excitement from all the tyranny they had endured under the reign of Wallet the Lean. But beyond the in- trinsic value of the treasure glowed the adventure, as they were both boyish enough to feel keenly. They were the first on deck, these two, wrapped in motor-coats. | “Tf we had not,” said Berwind, ‘‘agreed THE thermometer continued to fall The mere 1017 not to go on exclaiming and conjecturing and protesting on the subject, I should be very much inclined to say something more about the providential change in our plans that brought us here, of all places and of all times, where and when you most needed us.” Stuart made a helpless gesture. ‘“‘We might have had an appointment, you and I and the Archangel,” he said. ‘“‘As I remember now, it was Miss Nora’s idea,” said Berwind. ‘She thought per- haps it would interest her father and keep his mind from dwelling upon his present illness. Yes, I remember quite well, she suggested it. She was quite confused for fear I should think it a silly idea and she blushed and half refused to go on once she had told me the beginning.”’ “It was her idea ”” said Stuart softly. ‘“‘Berwind, if you have any notion of a hot hell dismiss it. I tell you hell is covered with snow and ice, and there isn’t a blade of grass to comfort the soul of the dying!” The Doctor sent an oblique look at him from the corner of his eye. ‘‘ You don’t by any chance feel any repugnance toward setting foot again on the ‘accursed place?’”’ ‘“None whatever, in such company,” re- plied Stuart. ‘‘Though I am afraid nothing could tempt me out onit alone. Is Mr. Lee going to be able to go with us?” “Indeed, nothing could persuade him to stay on board, I am certain. From the moment when we first broached the subject of coming here, he has been enthusiastic. The change in him is really remarkable. I—” he glanced about near them—‘I reduced his dose this morning sharply, but he made no comment. I don’t believe he knew the difference!” ‘“‘Good!”’ said Stuart heartily, though his eyes were on the mountains. There was a pause. ‘‘And Miss Lee ”” he added at last hesitatingly. ‘‘I dare say she will not undertake the tramp?” Berwind smiled at him. ‘There was a kindly twinkle in his eyes, but a certain painful constriction at the corners of the mouth. ‘‘My dear fellow, she will indeed. I asked Captain Healy to detail us a sailor to carry our rugs and some refreshment. And I think I will ask for another, just in case we contract a case of sprained ankle and need more assistance.” Stuart drew his brows together. ‘Don’t you think one man would be enough?” he (© MICLOOKS C©