Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 4, 1925 — page 31: what you’re looking at

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

THE GOLD-DUST RAJAH. so many, I’d like to know? Don’t vou see that it ll look bad to every kampong vou visit? Why, my people here had sentries on all night—armed and ready. You don’t know this Malay crowd. They don't intend to go back where they came from. If they did, they’d never have brought along their birds. Or that woman in the veil. Mr. Wray, they’re on this trip to loot. If they fail or Jose, they'll be off along some side Stream, where nobody can track them, and they’ll hide until the storm is over. And you—”’ “You know Dyaks, Mr. Lansdell,” in- terrupted Wray. ‘ Barker understands Malays. I admit they’re not handsome; but neither are vour friends here.” He at- tempted a smile. ‘‘ But Barker’s used this same lot of paddlers before. They're straight enough. So please don’t give your- self so much concern. You know, / haven't any hankering for trouble up in this place where you’ve buried yourself alive ’—this with a significant look. ‘‘ Also, I’m a trifle more anxious about the safetv of Miss Old- ham than even you can possibly be.’’ Abruptly Lansdell started across the room, heading for a curtained opening be- yond which was that smaller room of the hut. But he was scarcely half way to Marcia’s door before Wray had managed to stop him, holding to his arm almost fierce- ly. ‘Now you'll not frighten and worry that girl!” he asserted. ‘“ What you need is sleep. The tropics, and being up ai! hours, have played havoc with your brain.” Lansdell stopped, wrathful, but tempo- rarily thwarted. He halted, looking down, and swinging his helmet against a leg. ‘“ She’s just lost her father,’ Wray went on. “ She’s got enough to grieve her. I’ve been trving to take her mind off her troubles. Don’t you add to them. You haven’t any basis for your extraordinary statements, and you know it. Just suspi- cions, that’s all, and I won't have her feel- ings wrought up by them.”’ “T tell you, she already knows what I think,” Lansdell returned. That curtain moved, and Marcia came out. They had kept their voices lowered; but she saw at once that something unusual was. under discussion. 821 “The number of men, Ill admit, is a sort of graft,’ Wray began, turning to her as 1f for confirmation. ‘‘ But the cost of each is so little, and it’s pleasant to spurt along if we feel like it, which wouldn’t be the case if we were short-handed.” Lansdell turned. to the girl. ‘‘ Do vou think it’s only graft?” he asked. Wray did not allow her a chance to re- ply. ‘If there was anything wrong about it,” he continued, his tone gently argumen- tative, “‘ woulcn’t the men be armed? But there’s nothing of the kind. As for the woman, she’s a part of their superstition. They’d think our customs are strange, wouldn’t they, because we send out a cruiser with a chaplain aboard?” “T tell you, it’s a thieving expedition!” Lansdell blurted out. ‘‘ But how am I go- ing to make you see the thing as I do! Wray,’’—he grasped the older man by the Shoulder and almost shook him—“ this Barker is an ex-convict. I saw him in jail myself—at Singapore. I was on my way down, and—”’ Wray laughed, and set his helmet on the back of his round head. ‘‘ You and Mr. Barker,” he observed, grinning, “ have the same story about each other. You know, Lansdell, 1t doesn’t help Miss Oldham and me to feel any happier when we realize that vou and Barker may have known each other In prison.” ‘“ Now, look here!” Lansdell was angry enough to speak all of the truth. “ That varn of Barker’s about me is another sure sign that something is wrong about this trip. I’ve never been in trouble in all my _ life. I’m not here for any such reason, and vour niece knows it. She and I are old friends—friends of long standing. I knew Colonel Oldham well. But vesterday we made it up between us that we'd keep all this a secret. Now though—” Wray’s face was a study. As he listened he glanced from Lansdell to the girl, and from her to Lansdell again. His eyes were round with astonishment. His mouth was open. “Ha,” he breathed. “So. Old friends.” ‘““ Barker knows I’m not a crook,” Lans- dell went on. ‘* That’s another reason for my suspecting him. What’s behind such a COM NOOK CO