Argosy All-Story Weekly, May 17, 1924 — page 116: what you’re looking at

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

266 But before the day passed he had for- saken the haunts of the Europeans. He had been taken unto the bosom of China. It was Wanda MacBayne that caught his roving eye, as he came ashore at the land- ing. Later he saw her again as he reclined upon the club veranda under a slowly swinging punkah, drinking iced tea, and smoking a fragrant cheroot. Forbes had just settled back for a long chat with a group of friends when he saw the passing girl. Without a word he bowed himself from the society of the club and started shamelessly after the retreating charmer. Wanda MacBayne enticed the stranger to precincts remote from the gentry of Foo Chow. Following her up the terraced slopes, beyond the town, Forbes disappeared as effectually as though a grave had closed upon him, As the days went by, the agents of the Valkyrie began to express increasing alarm. They were reassured by Pugsley. ‘“ He'll come back, all right, don’t you worry. Nothin’ can happen to the likes 0’ him. _He’d be at home in the cellar of hell, only his company might be rough on the devils.” With no more signs of Forbes, the prefect of the province of Fuh Keen was appealed to, but the search of the police was in vain. The watchman at the City Gate was the only one who could give the slightest hint. He had seen him going back toward the mountains. He was alone? ‘Ves. But some one was ahead, it looked as though he were following her.” In’ due time Valkyrie was loaded with poles for the intermediate passage to Shang- hai. With the blue-peter at the fore, she lay there ready for sea, and yet no sign of the missing skipper. Acting on the scant information of the watchman by the gate, Richard Dunbar set out on a mule to travel back on the mountain road with the hope that he might discover some clew. Late that night, he found himself utterly lost, approaching a little village surrounded by the terraced fields of the tea planters. Just at the entrance to the town, Richard encountered a man, incredibly old and ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. hoary, reading by the moonlight. He at- tempted to ask a question in Chinese, and to.his surprise, received a reply in his own tongue. } Dunbar’s amazement was still further augmented at the stranger’s dress. Here was an unmistakable Highlander in kilts and pig-tail. Richard could hardly believe his eyes. * What are you doing here?” he inquired of the old man. ‘* Married,” was the laconic reply. “Well, who are you anyway?” “One Lung MacBayne. One Lung is me missus, MacBayne is meself. The old lady, rest her ashes, has gone to the Gods, so I’m still living on her acres.” ‘* But how did you come to marry her?” “Ah, my friend, in China every woman gets a man, and one of ’em got me.” While they were still talking Richard was distracted by the sight of a girl, in - strange céStume, romping with a Scotch collie. One Lung MacBayne noticed Rich- ard’s eyes wandering. “Ye dinna miss ony 0’ ’em, eh?” ‘““ What do you mean?” said Richard. “The lassies.” ‘‘ Who’s the young lady?” ‘““My daughter. D’ye like the look 0’ her?” “ That’s a funny way to talk about a girl.” One Lung MacBayne laughed hugely. “Only a piece of goods to be bought and sold. But she’s a nice piece of stuff at that. I expect afore we’re through ye’ll be wantin’ to buy her too.” ‘“Why, is there some one else here al- ready?” “Yea, some old seafaring devil.” “What, Captain Forbes?” ‘“Dinna ken what they call him; frae the way he walks, and frae the way he tosses his head, the natives are sure he’s one 0’ the gods.” “That’s Forbes all right, and whatever brought him here?” “Same thing as brought ye.” “ What’s that?” “Woman, and fate.” The eye of the old man shone with a canny light. Conmmicloool< (C@