Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 146 No. 4 — page 107: what you’re looking at

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

< ‘ To MacDonald, the amazing part of the whole thing was that, several weeks later, it all came true—all of Harris’s extraor- i ravings; came trué™ in -a splendid shower of gold that MacTavern freely lav- ished upon all of them. At nine o’clock that night a message was received from the American freighter Wal- ter Goodman stating that a boat, answer- ing to the description called for, had been sighted, just before dusk, in approximately latitude thirty-eight twelve north, and lon- gitude one-sixty-seven west. * Well, gentlemen ”—Captain McGee smiled grimly upon MacTavern and Hen- driks—“ the chase is on. We will be up with them before dawn.” CHAPTER XXV. THE FINAL CARD. NE thought stood paramount in Rut- ledge’s mind as he stared into the eyes of Fang Wu—they would know the worst. ‘“ What have you done with Sparks?” he asked. “You shall see. Both of you shall see. I might add that the same temporary fate is waiting for both of.you. You will oblige me, I am sure ”—Fang Wu glanced mean- ingly at the revolver with which he was covering Rutledge—“ by leaving these quar- ters. I wish to use our radio set or I should mot dream of inconveniencing you.” These two were his mice, and he enjoyed playing with them. He led them forward along the dark deck, through dimly lighted passageways, where groups of men stared menacingly at them, eying them with smoldering, brutish eyes. _A few moments later they were alone with Sparks. Fang Wu had shoved them into a cabin—forward—closed the heavy door, which was its only means of exit, and had locked it from the outside. Rutledge wondered at the reprieve. He had ex- pected to find Sparks either in the throes of torture, or dead. * “What happened to you, Sparks?” '"Thete was more than a trace of: “I'll Say you lender figure proved a washout ” 4 DIRTY WEATHER. “They jumped me before I’d gone ten feet. Waitin’ for me just for’rd of the stack; didn’t give me no time to cry out. Didn’t give me nuthin’ but a bent neck. That guy with the scarred mitt was wised up to the whole frame—had a stool crouched down to the port listenin’ to everything we said. Must have crawled there after dark.” Courtesy prevented Sparks from adding: ‘‘ While you were chinnin’ with that there Mary jane.” However, he did his best to imply as much in one mean, meaning look. The look registered. The door was unlocked, then opened. Fang Wu came in. He was followed by a boy, carrying a tray, on which was food and a carafe of water. The boy placed the tray on a table, then left the cabin. Fang Wu began to play with his mice: “Doubt, anxiety, the fear inspired by anticipation, all of us know its subtle, its delicately torturing values. I can imagine, Miss MacTavern, the horrors that your es- timable’ father has been, and must still be, experiencing, 1 assure you ”—he smiled at her—‘ they are mere trifles, mere petals of plum blossoms fluttering on idle breezes, in comparison with”—he laughed out- right—“ what the dear gentleman is about to endure.”’ Fang Wu’s hand shot from behind: his back, where he had been holding it since he had come into the cabin, and he leveled a revolver at Rutledge, who had shown signs of a blinding desire to devour him on the spot. “ Yes,” Fang Wu continued, “ than what he is about to endure. This little game of chess we have been playing is drawing to a close. It will result in a stalemate that will be most amusing to me. I shall out- line for you my final move, my coup de - grace, so that its delicious spice may agree- ably savor your coming repast.” Fang — Wu waved his hand graciously in the direc- tion of the dishes, “ Your father, dear lady, is at this mo- ment speeding toward you at the rate, I should judge, of approximately thirty knots an hour, aboard the United States sm stant to permit the ‘emotion. of r surge fully into the faces fe Oks. _— Ler