Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 4, 1925 — page 53: what you’re looking at

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

THE GOLD-DUST RAJAH. Lansdell’s heart sickened. He knew the matter was already settled. No plea, no abuse, no threat could swerve these men of the village trom their purpose. He could only depend now upon fear. Marcia sensed then that their situation was more than desperate. Suddenly weak, and terribly white, she clung to him. ““ Philip! Don't let them strike me!”’ He tried to comfort her as he would have comforted a child. ‘‘ Of course I shan't. There, there, Marcia! Dear, little woman, they shan’t touch you. You’ve got the medicine, haven’t you?” She stared round, her face quivering with terror, so that she scarcely looked like the Marcia of a short ten minutes before. ‘“‘ What are they going to do to us? What are they going to do?” He put his arm about her and urged her forward a step. ‘“ They tell us to get down,” he answered. “I think it best for us to do what they ask. You have that medicine. Don’t take it until the last hope is gone. But I haven’t given up yet. Pll use that film.” He sprang down and /ifted her to his side. Now that the Dyaks were all about them, her terror increased, and she moaned as she clung to him. He held her up, try- ing to comfort her. He turned her face toward his, to take her eves from the faces of the Dyaks. The latter urged them away from the platform. There was no laughter and no Jeering. All of those dark countenances were strangely solemn. And even Lans- dell, though he could scarcely give a thought from the terrified girl at his side, knew that what was about to take place did not meet with the enthusi- asm of all the men of the kampong. Some whispered. Others were clutching charms. On the outskirts of the crowd a few ran to and fro as if they were nervously consult- ing. But the head that had been soaped and shaved was held high and confidently. Dukut walked along beside Lansdell with a swagger, and smoked. ‘‘ What lies ahead?” asked the white man, not letting his eyes fall to the dirk in the twist of his enemy’s sarong. 843 Dukut’s black eyes sparkled. ‘‘ What should lie ahead,” he answered, ‘save the river?” CHAPTER XI. THE MIRACLE. ITH torches bobbing about them, and surrounded on every side, the two captives moved forward as slowly as Lansdell could manage it, for he still had a hope of moving some of the older men among the Dyaks to a reconsid- ering of their decision, or to a postpone- ment. | ‘“ Be sure the omens are right!” he warned. ‘ Also have a care that the spirits of powerful white men do not forever tor- ment Moeara Koli with sickness, since a man who heals is to be put to death!” A few murmured at this, and would have halted to consult upon the threats, but Du- kut loudly protested, shoving at Lansdell rudely. Raging within, the latter dared not strike back. No chance of fighting his way out yet offered itself, especially with a half-fainting girl leaning her weight upon his arm. ‘They mean to kill us both!” she cried to him, and her voice was not like the voice he knew, but strained and hoarse. He found her right hand. took from it the small stiff roll of celluloid, and ad- dressed the Dyaks. ‘ Men of Moeara Koli,”’ he said, “are you ready to see magic?” At that, a few fell away from him, jab- bering as if frightened. ‘Think carefully,” he told them. “Is it not better to send away the two who are not guilty, rather than that some of your own shall have to suffer the fate of their shadows?” They understood then what he meant. And those who had permitted themselves to be photographed began to cry out, and drew to a distance, now arguing among themselves, now shouting a warning to those who hemmed in the captives. A young Dyak whose ornaments and tat- tooing showed him to be of some rank now answered the white man. ‘My brothers Conn GIOok