Adventure Magazine Cover, April 1916 — page 166: what you’re looking at

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

164 was emerging from the building to join them; and at the sight of him an idea sud- denly flashed into the colonel’s mind. He would take Pendelton alone with him to the ship; perhaps in the intimacy of the table, he could learn what was causing the boy’s insomnia. “No,” he said, ‘I have some reports which I must finish tonight. Thank you just the same.’’ Then he turned to Pen- delton. ‘‘And I am going to take you out with me, Lieutenant. I want your ideas on my new accounting system. ‘The launch can wait for you; I promise to send you ashore early.” As the boy accepted, the colonel, for the first time that day, caught a sign of uneasi- ness in Cutter’s manner. He offered no objection to Pendelton’s going; but he ac- companied them to the wharf, as if almost to force an invitation for himself. The invitation was not forthcoming, how- ever; but until the gloom had swallowed up the sight of the shore, Colonel Bradley saw that the major was standing where they had left him, following the launch with his eyes. An hour later, after a capital dinner on the deck of the Rover, a dinner mellowed by the attentions of a China boy in immacu- late white drill, whose one purpose in life seemed to be that of preventing the diners from ever coming to the bottom of their glasses, the colonel pushed back his chair and lighted a cigar. He was in a cheerful mood. He had set himself to break through Pendelton’s re- serve, and he had succeeded. For the last half-hour the younger man had been chat- ting freely and naturally on his life at Porto Oporto. | 7 After a momentary pause while he drew slowly on his cigar, the colonel leaned forward, with his elbows on the table, and said in a quiet voice: ‘‘And now tell me what it is.” Pendelton drew back as if to seek refuge in the shadows outside the circle of light at the table, and the colonel felt the reserve flash back into his manner. ‘“‘What do you mean, sir?” he asked. “‘T suspect you know better than I,”’ the colonel remarked, and then paused; but Pendelton vouchsafing no reply, he con- tinued: “You have something on your mind, something which is on the verge of sending Adventure you a mile high into the air. I want to know what it is. To be exact, what is keep- ing you from sleeping at night?” Pendelton cleared his throat. ‘“‘I—perhaps—it’s been very hot and muggy down here lately, sir.” The colonel ignored the evasion. “Tf you think I am impertinent, remem- ber, Lieutenant Pendelton, you have in your charge a large sum of government money. Supply officers must not get on edge. They must be able to sleep at night.”’ ‘Yes, sir,” said Pendelton in a strained voice, “I realize that.” ‘Well, then, what is it?” Again Pendelton was silent; and suddenly the colonel burst out impatiently: ““Haven’t you got a tongue, boy? Can’t you see I am trying to help your”’ Pendelton bit his lip in his effort to con- trol his feeling. He wanted desperately to tell the whole story to the colonel. And why not? Something told him that the colonel would believe him. He pushed back his chair, walked to the rail and for a moment stood looking out into the night. Then he returned, and dropped into his chair. “T am afraid there is nothing you can help, colonel,’ he said. “Have you had trouble with Major Cutter?” The younger man’s face hardened. ‘*You will have to ask Major Cutter about that, sir,’ he said, a note of passion for the first time creeping into his voice. Colonel Bradley drew slowly on his cigar, as beneath lowered lids he studied Pendelton with appraising eyes. He felt a sudden warm liking for the boy. He had spirit and he had character. In spite of his uncom- municativeness, there was something clean and straightforward about him. ‘“‘Pendelton—”’ he began, and stopped abruptly. Over the lieutenant’s shoulder he saw a ruddy glare suddenly break the darkness of the shore. With an exclamation, he leaped to his feet and ran to the rail. A bamboo shack in the native barrio was enveloped in flames, and in the brisk wind the sparks were whirling above the roofs of those ad- joining it. Silhouetted by the light of the flames dark figures were running aimlessly about, gesticulating frantically with their hands. Suddenly he saw Cutter emerge COMmMichoooks (CO