Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 4, 1925 — page 37: what you’re looking at

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

THE GOLD-DUST RAJAH. older man. “ You approve of the insane scheme? You know about it—after de- nying it under my roof? Do you? Speak up!” His tone was full of incredulous hor- ror. “You might as well know the truth,” answered Wray carelessly. “‘ It "ll save you from mixing yourself up in this business. I do know about Barker’s plan. So do his Malays.” The crew of Marcia’s praz had scattered, leaving only the Chinese aboard, and Wray threw out a hand toward where the pad- dlers were once more taking certain bundles and packages out of the boats. “‘4a-a-au'!” groaned Lansdell, his fin- gers twitching to grasp Wray by the throat. “You're an utter lunatic!” “ Well, all right,” returned the other in- differently. ‘‘ And you can stay here if you want to, and rave about it. Barker in- tends to have a dig at that house he’s been told about. If they let him alone there won't be any row; if they don’t, they'll bring the trouble on ‘hemselves.” ‘¢ No-o-0-0-0!”? breathed Lansdell, ap- palled. - “ T cari’t see any harm in taking the stulf if it’s there,” Wray declared brazenly. “ I don’t mind telling you that I’m in on the scheme. ”’ CHAPTER V. THE HOLY WOMAN. RAY made no attempt to leave. Lansdell did not speak for a mo- ment, though his lips moved. -Mar- cia stared at her uncle, a hand to her fore- head. “It’s not too late to stop the attack,” said Lansdell. “I will go and tell Barker that you’ve changed your mind.” “ That won’t change Barker’s mind,” Wray replied, shrugging. “‘ He looks at it the way I do. This Dyak crowd are like dogs in a manger. They can’t use gold—or they don’t, anyhow—and they go bury it. Well, if the Malays are willing to take a chance, and get a share—”’ “This is the most barefaced proposi- tion I ever heard of in all my life!” broke 827 in Lansdell furiously. “‘ You stand up here with this girl at your side, and tell me that we've been brought along to an outrageous attack on a poverty-stricken old man who hasn’t anything and will get killed trying to defend himself and his people!” Now Marcia spoke, almost wonderingly, and very quietly, a hand on Wray’s arm. ‘““Why, it can’t be true!” she said. “I know there’s something—well—like a joke about this. You’re honest, Uncle Chiches- ter, and you're square, and vou haven’t gone crazy.” Wray laughed unpleasantly. ‘ That all sounds just like what I thought you’d say,” he remarked, as if amused. ‘“But let me say to you, my dear, that you know very little about other people, be- cause vou’re so busy thinking just of your- self.” She swayed, as if he had struck her. “Have I been selfish? Have—have—” “You can call it what vou want,” said Wray sneeringly. “ Certainly vou’ve never thought of how I stand since we left home. I’m a sort of a servant, ain’t I? Yes—a courier, you might say. I can run errands, and ask for funds, and all the rest of it!” ‘“ T didn’t know that hurt you!” she cried. ‘““Why haven’t you told me? Ob, Uncle Chichester!” Lansdell broke in. “ Never mind how you feel, my friend,” he told Wray. ‘“There’s something more than your pride at stake here. Do you understand that? The lives of people—the safety of this girl!” Wray was not impressed. “ Let me give you a bit of sound advice,” he returned. ‘“Tf you know what’s good for you, if you want to protect Marcia, you'll join with the rest of us on this proposition. Whether you think it’s right or not, anyhow, we’re three white men, aren’t we?” ‘“ You can’t make me a party to this skul- duggery!’’ Lansdell retorted. “ And I tell you, you're going into this rotten business for nothing! Mabong hasn’t got any dust!” “ You can’t mean what you're saying!” added Marcia imploringly. ‘‘ Not a crook- ed scheme like that! Uncle! Don’t let Barker use you as a catspaw! Don’t you COMIC HOOK