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

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

Pearl-Hunger “Now what have you, Tom?” The old fellow had nothing to say. He hesitatingly took his eyes off the box and, with a sort of savage triumph, thrust it up that Heddon might see for himself and be struck dumb. Pearls, large ones, lay in rows, in grooves. They were spaced from each other by bits of silk. Some were yellowish, and some were dark to the tint that, in a pearl, is called black; some were shadowed with the green of peacock’s feathers, two or three were rosy as the first glimpse of dawn. The others, and more precious, varied in tone, but were of a sisterhood in their pale opal- escence and symmetrical perfection. Many were pears, some oblong drops, a few boutons perfect of shape as art itself could have made them; and side by side lay others that seemed veritably to be Seed of the Moon. Their delicate luster burned with the sub- dued glow of an inner warmth. These were no cold bits of lime suffused with nacreous coloration; they were alive, and in the faint shimmer of their opalescence seemed to breathe. They had been fished from many parts of the world; Bennings himself had found most of them; others he had traded for among the thieves that came to buy from him. ‘“‘That’s what I was talking of,” said Hed- don, quickly. ‘French imitations. Dump "em out, Tom. Let her handle them. There’s all the fortune that Bennings left!” Tom growled vaguely, blinking and peer- ing at Heddon. ‘“Wonderful,’’ Margaret murmured. “Wonderful!” “These are lovelier than those you called genuine,” said Oxenham, his eyes large with doubt. “You know pearls, do you?”’? Heddon de- manded. “No, of course not. But I never saw any- thing as lovely as these!” “Nor I,” said Margaret quietly, lifting her eyes to Heddon. “So? Well, pour ’em out, Tom. Here’s Tom, been pearling for years. Knows pearls with his eyes shut. Can sense a pearl twenty fathoms down, when the shell’s closed. Many a time he’s come up with an oyster under his arm and said, “This fellow’s got one in him!’ How about it, Tom—are these worth anything?” Tom moistened his lips and became very 71 intent at pouring the gems on the velvet cloth in the wooden bowl. ‘‘T guess worser than these,” he muttered, “would be as good as any to them as couldn’t tell the diff’rence!”’ “There!” said Heddon. ‘‘See? And Tom knows pearls.”’ Tom’s hand shook. With twinkling shim- mer the pearls dropped from the box onto the black velvet, rolling about a little as if looking for where to stop, then nestling to- gether. The ship rolled. Tom’s hand was unsteady. One big round pearl, reluctant to be shaken out, seemed suddenly to feel fright, and sprang from the box, leaped to the deck, bounded with faint click, rolled and lodged against the mat on which Hed- don stood. : “But Mr. Heddon,” said Margaret, ‘‘sure- ly—surely these are real!”’ She looked inquiringly toward Gloria— “Aren't they?” “Here,”’ Heddon answered her. one of the largest.”’ He pointed to the deck. Tom was stoop- ing with fingers bent guardedly for the run- away pearl, and muttering gentle reproof. “‘And the prettiest!’” Heddon added sav- agely, then moved his foot, put down his heel, and ground it into dust. ‘‘Now,” said Heddon defiantly, ‘you see why they are not even worth stealing!”’ Old Tom became rigid as if frozen. He gave Heddon a look that was murderous, then straightened, turned, and with bandy- legged clattering went from the cabin. “Pretty, but worthless!” said Heddon, looking hard at her. Then he strode out. VEN OLD TOM leaped out of the com- (&) panion way and began jumping up and down on one spot, muttering wildly. He drew his pipe from his pocket and slammed it to the deck, swearing. With- out warning he kicked Raeburn until the boy nearly brought the ship aback, trying dodge and begging to know what was wrong. ‘“Wrong!’’ old Tom screeched, throwing up his fists. ‘‘It were murder! Worse than murder! He done it jest to be mean! By the look o’ him ye knowed he wished; she was under his heel that way. He’s luna- ticked! He stays in the water half a night to save her, an’ fights Black McGree, then Tom, to illustrate, drove his heel on Raeburn’s foot. ‘‘Here’s GomiiGcoook 1 O)