Argosy All-Story Weekly, January 13, 1923 — page 29: what you’re looking at

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

JUNGLE TEST. “ What’s the matter with you, chupras- si?”’ the major asked. ‘“‘ A scorpion stung me in the night. Mis- erable wretch that I am!” His expression changed suddenly. “Is the miss-sahib safe?” Dunboyne turned upon his heel—satis- fied that this man could tell him nothing. The major followed. One other person remained, who from Dunboyne’s point of view was not without suspicion. The publican had not yet put in his appearance. “You can’t trust these Eurasians,’”’ Dun- boyne said as he led the way into the bunga- low and to the caretaker’s quarters in the rear. ‘ This publican with his smug c/ichi- bdt is a cut-throat if ever there was one. Everything he said and did last night makes me believe he had something to do with this abduction. God, man!” he cried, turning suddenly to the major. ‘ Perhaps it was he who has fled with the girl.” “Tt must have been he,” the major said. ‘You and I and the two native servants were the only other men on the compound last night—that is, the only men we saw. The publican is the only one not accounted for.” A remote wing of the rambling old dak- bungalow, a part which judging from its cracked walls and warped rafters had been built prior to the main structure, served as the publican’s quarters. The wing was thrust partially into a dense growth of tamarinds whith seemed so close to the jungle-rim as to be a part of it. In the bedroom the odor of dampness and decay was thickened by stale bang smoke, and ghoor-scented tobacco—apparently much used by the Eurasian publican. This was the first impression that greeted the two Britishers upon entering. They could see nothing, for the place—although it was now broad daylight—was pitch dark because of the window shutters, the tatti curtains of the back veranda, and the overhanging trees outside. The major lit a match, its first flare re- vealing the publican lying on his bed. To all appearances he was in a deep and sound- less sleep. A butter lamp on a damask cov- ered box was lighted, giving out a dim ge gg ee eS Oe eee ee - Se Oe SO Pa eo A491 smelly flame. The publican’s face as seen by this light was the color of coal ashes. The successive discovery of the spell that had been cast over one after the other of the inmates of the dak-bungalow had un- nerved Dunboyne. The mystery of it now horrified him. Whose hand had been laid upon them was now beyond conjecture. What unknown presence had come out of the jungle and attacked that household? Whatever it was, not one of the six people who had been in the dak-bungalow that night—the two Britishers, the two natives, the half-breed caretaker and the girl—had escaped the touch of that hand. When- Surgeon-Major Kesh after examining the publican made his announcement, Dun- boyne’s knees weakened and he groped for the wall to support himself. ‘“ He’s dead,” said Kesh. “ Not drugged. Dead a good many hours. A doctor who knew nothing of this Indian climate would say this man had been dead several days.” “The jungle is the place to look for the. girl,” the major said, “‘ and, of course, the rajahdom which lies beyond—I mean Jam- gad. Colonel Marquart will give us troops. IT can vouch for that. But if you want to know my opinion straight-from-the-shoul- der, I will give it: The girl is lost!” “Lost!”? Dunboyne cried. ‘‘ With Gov- ernment and the whole Indian Army behind us! God, man, we’ll wipe Jamgad off the map. Every Britisher that hears of this will be in arms. I'll start a miassacre, damned if I won’t! Il mash ’em by the hundreds like ants under my foot!” The major shook his head. ‘“ You don’t know India, Dunboyne. The girl has been ensnared—not by the inhabitants of Jam- gad—that’s simple enough.” ‘By whom then?” Dunboyne cried with such ferocity that the major shrank away from him. “Perhaps we shall never know,” the other rejoined. ‘‘ This I am certain of: we will never find the men who actually perpe- trated this deed. To me it seems as if. something intangible took her—”’ “ Are you a heathen, major?” Dunboyne sneered. His fists doubled so that the knuckles whitened. CORMICGMOOOKS con