Argosy, Vol. 120, No. 1 — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

NAKED Under ordinary circumstances it is proba- ble that Smith would have forced his opin- ion by sheer weight. That is to say, he would have browbeaten the white men, bul- lied the camp servants, pulled stakes, and dragged the party off to safety in spite of their helpless ragings. Later they would have found cause to thank him, for Smith’s judgment of the queer twists of the brown man’s doings was uncanny; and where he failed Poonoosawmi was always able to re- duce the problems of native intrigue down to their ultimate coefficients. It had fallen’ to his lot to save foolish wanderers from their own folly on more than one occasion, and he had always ac- complished the feat by irresistible weight; weight of grim, domimant personality, and weight, sometimes, of hard fist for those who were obstreperous. That was under ordinary circumstances; ordinary for the jungle, that is to Saye . Here Smith was up against the extraordi- nary. The party, to begin with, was un- usual; never had Smith seen such childish | confidence. The business on which they were engaged was extraordinary. Smith thought’ he knew in intricate detail every kind of business which might possibly lure men out into the jungles; but these queer retorts and things baffled him. Their talk, too, of an elaborate system _of bribery, was a mystery. And then, there was the girl, by long laps quite the most extraordinary thing that Smith had ever met. He’ was diffident of speech and action in the presence of any woman. It is possible that in any other circumstances he would “have withdrawn himself from her compell- ing presence and then plowed ahead as usual and carried out his plans, anyhow; but this girl was something entirely new. He had met nothing like her in the jungles before— and he knew everything that ever happened in the jungle. She just did not belong. Her rightful place was in a treatise on Greek mythology, and her startling presence here: unbalanced him. It was plain to him that she ordered the destinies of her rather impractical men- folk in her own quiet way, without fuss or. flurry; and he felt helplessly that she was - MEN OF NAGA, ee ee ere — 9 just as,calmly ordering his with the same clear-eyed confidence. So he shuffled his big feet and moved about the tent awkwardly; the more so since the professor had resumed an earnest con- templation of his retort, and he felt that he had to deal with her alone. Yet the professor, all unconsciously, came to his rescue. He called his daughter to observe some mysterious and highly ex- citing phenomenon in the apparatus, and Smith saw a chance to escape. With a quick resumption~of his usual decision, he seized the tall assistant by the upper arm and propelled him irresistibly to the e opening of the tent. Outside, he led him with speedy anxiety to the outskirts of the camp. Away from the girl’s hypnotic influence, his confidence w4s his own once more. He let go the young man’s arm, and stood off facing him with interrogative scrutiny. “Son,” he began judicially, ‘‘ now you tell me something about this.” The young man’s quick irritation was full. of mistrust. He caressed his arm where Smith had gripped it. “Tell you about what? what you want to come butting into our business for, and I’m not going to tell you anything.” Smith waved his suspicion off with a vast motion. ‘Lord, man, what the bloomin’ ’ell do I care about your business? What I want to know is, why*do all you infants think you’re so dashed safe, and what’s all this talk about presents to Pembe and the rest of the gang.” The young man faced him with smolder- ing doubt. “ That’s a part of our business, Mr. Smith. I don’t consider that you have any right to ask that.” I’ don’t know . “Oh, all right, then; never mind that— | Tl find it out anyhow. You and your wizard in there can go to Jehannum you own sweet way; but— what about the girl?” The young man was suddenly very stiff. “IT cannot conceive that even that is any of your affair, Mr. Smith. But if there should be any danger—which we don’t admit—I would—both her father and I—would defend her with our lives.” " €© HOO CO