Adventure Magazine Cover, June 20, 1925 — page 186: what you’re looking at

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

168 seen Dixon and the chief, Macombe, both prisoners, and he had seen D’Andra assem- bling a machine gun. For a fraction of a second he entertained the wild thought of attempting a rescue right then; second thoughts and_ better judgment, however, vetoed the plan. He knew that such a move would be suicidal— even if he were armed the chances against success were too heavy. As it was He returned to his mule—his course was just as cautious but infinitely swifter— mounted and rode slowly away until he judged himself to be well out of earshot. Then he spurred his mule into a speed it had not thought itself capable of. On Isaacs rode. And then He must have been completely immersed _ in his thoughts; the mule must have been so completely surprized out of its normal, obstinate self, by Isaacs’ constant spurring, that it forgot all its traditional fears. At any rate they passed through a herd of elephants—coming so close that the toe of Isaacs’ left boot grazed the leg of one of the beasts—on their way to raid the corn patches of Misongwe. And the marvel of it is, that the great gray ghosts of the bush ignored the mule ‘and its rider with contemptuous indiffer- ence. Isaacs must have seen them, must have got their scent and heard their intestinal rumblings. But he was not consciously aware of them. Yet, in his mental imagery at that moment, Gonzales and D’Andra assumed the shapes of elephants and were trampling the life out of the people of the district—wantonly laying everything to ‘waste. yw YT WAS sunrise when Isaacs NWHZ reached his store. He was so full =e @ of the plan which he had evolved mS during his ride from Misongwe that he was not conscious of anv feeling of fatigue. All he required was a shower, a brisk rub down, a change of clothes and then—— His eyes sparkled. His pian must suc- ceed; he did not dare to think of failure. He had just sat down to a hearty break- fast when Miles rode up to the store and rushed into the skoff hut. He wore a long, black cassock; a large gold cross, hung on a black ribbon about his neck, swung to and Adventure fro—agitated by his rapid breathing. It reflected the bright sun rays which streamed through the open doorway. “Vot is it, missioner?” Isaacs asked calmly, making no comment on the fact that Miles, in striking contrast to his peace “uniform” carried a rifle in his hand and wore a heavy cartridge belt about his waist. ‘Matter,’ Miles cried excitedly. “‘Why the professor came to the mission yesterday just before sundown. The poor old chap had got lost and the fever caught him un- prepared. He told me a lot of things ‘Such as—that Dixon and the chief, Macombe, had been captured and held as prisoners by Gonzales,” Isaacs interrupted dryly. ‘“‘That their porters are really sol- diers—that they’ve dug a big trench at Misongwe and that they’ve got maxims? Ts that it?” ““Yes,’’ Miles assented wonderingly. how do you know all this?”’ “T have eyes, missioner. I’ve got brains. I vent to Misongwe yesterday and saw all them things for myself.”’ “And they let you? stop you?” “T didn’t go through the formality of asking their permission,” Isaacs said with a chuckle. “But I don’t see how you can sit there so calmly, and eat——”’ “Vot is your hurry, missioner? By hur- rying you vill do no good. You ain’t had breakfast yet—no? Then sit down an’ eat. A man thinks better when his belly’s full. That’s better,” he continued as Miles seated himself and reluctantly accepted a cup of coffee which one of Isaacs’ servants offered him, “Now tell me: Is there anything else you know, which I don’t know? Did the professor tell you vot little game Gon- zales and D’Andra are playing?” “He doesn’t really know, I think. The little he knows is what he overheard today before he left Misongwe to explore in the hills about the mission. But from what he said, I gather that they’ve got a concession which Macombe signed years and years ago. And they plan to fortify themselves and then, holding Macombe as hostage for the natives:. good behavior, they’re going to notify the British authorities that they’ve annexed the territory on behalf of Portugal. It’s a clever plan, and if we don’t do some- thing, it may succeed. Once they’ve fin- ished their fortifications they’ll be able to “But They didn’t try to COMIGDIOOKSEEO