Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 4, 1925 — page 40: what you’re looking at

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

830 “Miss Oldham must get away,” declared! Lansdell. ‘‘ You can see yourself that she’s unconscious. I haven’t the proper medi- cines here.” Barker waved the prau nearer. ‘‘ Glad you doped her,” he answered carelessly. “ That’ll save her fretting when we get to work. Just stay right here, though, if you know what’s good for you. If this busi- ness yonder ”’—he jerked his head back- ward in the direction of the kampong— “goes smooth, we’ll be pulling out in two or three hours.”’ Lansdell reddened with anger; but not at Barker altogether. He realized that Wray had betrayed the giving of the pellet to Marcia. However, as Barker turned away, that transformed figure of the Malay leader at his side, Lansdell did not waste time in upbraiding Wray, who was prepar- ing to go with the other two. ‘* Barker, look here!” he exclaimed, let- ting Goboh take the prauz from his hold and climbing to the platform. ‘ Don’t you know that this whole proposition is wild? Yes, it is! There isn’t anything but Borneo dirt under Mabong’s platform! That’s the truth! Surely you won’t go into a thing that'll end in bloodshed just on the strength of such a wild yarn!” Barker had a foot on the narrow bridge between platform and bank. ‘“ Well,” he returned affably, ‘if Mabong ain’t got any dust under his hut, we can’t rob him, can we? And you'll agree that there ain’t a lot of harm in doing a bit of digging, won’t you?” “You forget that Dyaks are born fight- ers,” answered Lansdell. “ A little digging sounds harmless, but Mabong’s men will wipe the grease from their blades.” This was sheer bluff, with the town empty. Barker laughed. ‘ Reckon you ain’t had a good look at my boatmen,” he observed. “What's a few old pig-stickers good for against repeating rifles? Huh! And listen to me, my friend: Mabong’s let that gold- dust yarn get spread around, ain’t he? Never’s contradicted it, far’s J can find out. It makes him very important, don’t it? Ha! Ha! Makes all the trucklers hunt him out, and so forth, and he gets himself took by moving picture people to be showed all over ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. creation. Well, I’ll take the bragging out of him! He'll think twice before he starts anything like this gold story again! I'll show him what fooling white men comes too.” ‘‘ Barker!” pleaded Lansdell. ‘‘ Let me take this girl out of harm’s way! To mv own kampong, I mean! I swear I won’t go farther. I know you won’t take anvthing from Mabong, because there isn’t anything to take. But—” The other man shook his head. he said. ‘ But there ain’t no need for you to go. Neither of you'll be in trouble if you stay where you're put and and do what you’re told. And I don’t like to spare you, Lansdel]. You see, if there’s trouble and anybody gets hurt, it ’ll be handy to have a doctor along.” He grinned. Lansdell understood the hopelessness of appealing to him further. ‘“ Wray!” he said. ‘‘ Won’t you speak a word for Marcia? Surely you’re not going back to the schooner and sail away, and all the time be hiding behind this girl’s petticoats?” te oo Wray turned a stubborn face. ‘ Exact- ly!” he answered hotly. ‘‘ Why not? I tell you, I’m cleaned out. She’s got plenty, but she doesn’t care how I’m fixed. Never asks me if I need a couple of hundred. Never seems to think of my wants at all. It’s enough if I get my expenses paid.”’ “ She’s just a girl,” Lansdell argued. “Yes, and that’s why I can’t ask her for money. Well, Il] fill my own pockets, and if she doesn't like it, I can’t help it. Far as I’m concerned, I’d rather take something away from an old cannibal than be con- tinually out of pocket and made to feel like a dog, or a little boy, or a porter.” Barker was already climbing to join the waiting crowd on the bank. ‘ Come along, Ali,” he called to the Malay leader; and from where Lansdell stood, dripping and wrathful, he could see Barker’s hand come down to give the brown man help in mak- ing the few steps. ‘““ Wray!” he implored again. The older man looked pale, but he was as obdurate as ever. ‘‘ The cards are dealt,” he said. ‘‘ The game is on. I’m going to play my hand, Lansdell.” He nodded, and followed the Malay. %; Sorry,” lDOOlK