Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 7, 1928 — page 70: what you’re looking at

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

60 painted, and which Gefondo said had been the gaming cards of a Spanish don on some ill-fated vessel that fell prey to the pirates of Le Diable Noir. He sent Gefondo to summon Jack Butts, and, stripped to the buff, they wrestled and had rounds of fisticuffs. For Basil wanted still greater strength and endurance of his body and still firmer muscles. From his seat, crosslegged on a locker, the hunchback would watch these sports, his chin dropped forward on his crossed wrists, his hands hang- ing limp from his knees. Sometimes he would laugh, and sometimes sigh. But he never lost sight of Basil Trelawney, nor did the boy touch food or drink not served by Gefondo. The sea became bluer and less troubled by gales. Sharks, grim gray darting ghouls of the sea, followed the ship and turned white bellies to grab anything tossed overboard, their jaws gaping to show row upon row of teeth. The captain was almost invisible at that time. He drank constantly, and when he appeared on deck was so be- fuddled with wine that he could not recognize one man from another. But when the sea wind, perfumed by land breezes that blew from flower girt valleys of the West Indian islands, came to their sails, the baron sobered. He appeared on deck one day dressed in gayer velvets than ever before, be- jeweled and pomaded, gold chains lac- ing his paunch, diamond buckles on his shoes. “Now,” whispered Gefondo to Basil, “ there is danger. Young master, if I know the signs, you will not leave this ship alive. For while in his cups, Banana muttered that he was a fool to have mentioned before you the name of that maid whose face, painted on ivory, lies in his jewel case—the maid about whom you tossed dice to win.” “ He carries her picture with him?” asked Basil, shocked anew to think that such infamy was done to the paint- ing of Violette. ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. “Aye. Wait here, young master, and I’ll show you.” He darted from the room and pres- ently returned to drop in Basil’s hand a small case of shagreen, the lid of which opened at the touch of a thumb. There, on a bed of blue violet, lay the oval of ivory. From it the face of Violette looked out, young, sweet, colored as tenderly as the dawn sky. Pearls circled the gold mounting. The smile on her lips was more price- less to Trelawney. It whipped his blood to fire, and red motes swam be- fore his eyes. He did not at that moment notice the packet of letters brought by Gefondo, but as he snapped the case shut, he ripped open the amethyst buttons of his Waistcoat and slipped the case with Violette’s picture next his heart, then again fastened his garments. “Tell De Banana that I thieved this gem,” he said harshly. ‘“‘ Lie for me this once and I'll make it up to you, if it be in hell. For between your cap- tain and me there is only one bond, and that is life! “He may take mine. In such case, destroy this picture. But if I land, he will never again see the face of the girl who sat for this painting. “°T would sear her sweet eyes to look on such a beast. How far are we from Santo Domingo shores, Ge- fondo?” Basil seemed to muse aloud, sunk deep in thought, his head resting on one palm, his elbow on the couch pillow. “To-night, I think, young master, we may sight land. I smell mimosa and wild honeysuckle on the wind. And I heard one man say that he caught sight of land birds at noon. But, hark! Something seems amiss with De Banana.” There was the sound of heavy steps and the thunderous thudding of a sword hilt on the door. Gefondo leaped to open it, and the baron stalked into the cabin. Basil did not rise. He was far past Gomichbooks (E@)