Argosy All-Story Weekly, January 13, 1923 — page 31: what you’re looking at

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

JUNGLE. TESY, “Honored and blessed sahibs, I follow the trails of the sambar and elephant. [ avoid the haunts of pamboo and jheels and swamps through which you who are holy cannot pass without contamination of fever or viper or poison water—”’ ‘““We are going to send an expedition through the jungle to Jamgad,” Dunboyne said. “We will employ you as a gnide. What is your price?” “It is not granted me in this life to be so honored.” ‘Your price.” “TI cannot take soldiers—Sikhs or Pun- jabis, Britishers or Ghurkas into Jamgad.” “You can if I break a few of your bones perhaps.” ‘‘ Blessed sahib,” the chuprassi said in a wheedling tone, “if it is known that the British are coming into Jamgad the Rao will order the girl’s death. She will be spirited away so that no man shall ever know what became of her. If two men— myself and one other—go into Jamgad dis- guised as hawkahs with merchandise to sell, then the two men who go to Jamgad may see her—and if it is so written in the stars— they will save her.”’ ‘His advice has some good points,” the major commented. “If the Rao of Jam- gad thinks the British know nothing of what has happened to the girl—then we have the upper hand.” “What man will you take with you?” Dunboyne asked. ‘“ A white man.” The very thought of going into the jungle —accompanied only by this miserable fawning . beggar—made Dunboyne pale. He had steered wide of it the day before when coming to meet his fiancée. Now some hideous ironical fate had decreed that he go into the heart of it—and into its pes- tiferous jheels—alone and on a_ hopeless quest. The chances of de@th were a hun- dred to one. A moment’s pause and the kneeling chu- prassi lifted his finger, pointing at Dun- boyne. Dunboyne’s heart thumped like a frightened bird’s. “You are the promised bridegroom of the Lovely One!” the chzprassi said. ‘ Follow after love. Many monsoons cannot drown Qe nn. Se ee See > ee ee ee love; neither can the jungles smother it!” “Let me give you my opinions of the case,”’ the major urged. ‘‘ This man—who- ever he is—lowcaste beggar and all—has some intelligence—more than many a Babu I've heard rattling off his flowery English. The big point is this: the girl must be saved —and in time. It will take a disastrously long while to send a battalion across to Jam- gad. No railways, no roads. Big tracts of elephant grass and swamps; fever; no water, provisions or any knowledge of the country. And, as this beggar has explained, the Rao would be scared out of his wits and to protect himself he would kill the girl.” -“ But if I’m to go in there alone—” Dun- boyne cried desperately. ‘You will not be alone,” the chuprassi corrected. you, myself, and Brahma who is the Crea- tor! Brahma is greater than Siva the De- stroyer. He will help us save this damsel from destruction. You yourself are greater than the Rao, for at the proper time you can declare the glory of England! You will say that you have the armies of Britain behind you which are more powerful than the Rao’s gods!”’ “T agree to this plan,” the major said. “TY will’ get a battalion at the cantonment equipped, and in three days it will be sent into Jamgad. Meanwhile this beggar has solved the problem. It needs only your consent. If you have the nerve to go into the jungle secretly—without the knowledge of Government—without the support of sol- diers—then [I think there is hope.” “Hope?” Dunboyne repeated tonelessly. ‘“What hope is there if I go into those black swamps with this man whom we sus- pect might even be a thag and a devil-wor- shipper himself?” “TI don’t want to persuade you to go blindly to your death,” the major said. ‘ T must say no man ever faced a more fearful quandary than you. In justice to you I will tell you what I think your problem is: this man may be sent from Jamgad’to actually entice you to your destruction. You must take that chance. In order to save your fiancée you must actually follow this horri- ble creature into the jungle. And you must COPMICLOOKS “There will be three of us: (0)