Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-05-27

nave luhSlueQ Wuen E0IeEeu LuuL
hall that 1 was about to pledge myself
to a wilder adventure than had ever
come to me in my dreams? But
Gladys-was it not the very opportu-
nifty of which she spoke? Gladys
would have told me to go. / had
sprung to my feet was speaking,
and yet had prepared no words. Tarp
Henry, my companion, was plucklng
at my skirts, and 1 heard him whis-
pering: "Sit down, Malone! Don't
make a public ass Of yourself" At the
same time 1 was aware that a tall,
thin man with dark, gingery hair
few seats in front Of me was also
upon his feet. He glared back at me
with hard, angry eyes, but 1 refused
to give way.
II will go, Mr.. Chairman" kept re-
peating over and over again.
Name! Name!' cried the audience.
"My maine is Edward Dunn Malone.
l am the reporter OF the Daily Gazette.
l claim to be an absolutely unpreju-
diced witness"
"What is your name, sir?" the chair
man asked of my tall rival.
81 am Lord John Roxton. I have
already been up the Amazon. 1 know
all the ground and have special quail
fications for this investigation"
Lord John Roxton's reputation as
sportsman and a traveller is, of
course, world famous" said the chair
man. cat the same time it would
certainly be as well to have a member
of the press upon such an expedition"
"Then l move" said Professor Chal-
lenger, "that both these gentlemen be
elected as representatives of this meet
ing to accompany Professor Summer
lee upon his journey to investigate and
to report upon the truth of my state
ments."
And so, amid shouting and cheering,
our fate was decided, and found my
self borne away in the human current
which swirled toward the door, with
my mind half stunned by the vast new
project which had risen so suddenly
before it. As l emerged from the hall
| was conscious for a moment Of a
rush of laughing students down the
pavement and of an arm welding a
heavy umbrella, which rose and fell in
the midst of them Then, amid mix
ture of groans and cheers, Professor
Challenger's electric brougham slid
from the curb, and l found myself
walking under the silvery lights of
Regent street, full of thoughts of
Gladys and Of wonder as to my fu-
ture.
Suddenly there was a touch at my
elbow. l turned and found myself
looking into the humorous, masterful
eyes of the tall, thin man who had
volunteered to be my companion on
this strange quest.
"Mr Malone, l understand" said he.
we are to be companions-What? My
rooms are just over the road in the
Albany Perhaps you would have the
kindness to spare me half an hour, for
there are one or two things that l bad
ly want to say to you"
Lord John Roxton and l turned down
VigO street together and through the
dingy portals Of the famous aristocrat-
ic rOokery At the end of long drab
passage my new acquaintance pushed
open a door and turned on an electric
switch. A number of lamps shining
through tinted shades bathed the whole
great room before us in a ruddy radi-
ance. Standing in the doorway and
glancing round me, l had a general i'm.
preston of extraordinary comfort and
elegance combined with an atmOs-
phere of masculine virility. Every
where there were mingled the luxury
Of the wealthy man Of taste and the
careless untidiness of the bachelor.
One by one he took out succession
Of beautiful rifles, opening and shut
ting them with a snap and a clang
and then patting them as he put them
back into the rack as tenderly as a
mother would fondle her children.
This is a BANDS ST. axite express"
said he. 81 got that big fellow with
it." He glanced up at a stuffed white
rhinocerOs. "Ten more yards and he
would have added me to his collection.
"on that conical bullet his one chance
hangs.
'Tls the weak ones advantage fair.
Hope you know your Gordon, for
he's the poet of the horse and the gun
and the man that handles both. Now,
here's a useful tool-.4I0, telescope
sight, double ejector, point blank up
to three-tifty. That's the rifle used
against Peruvian slave drivers three
years ago. | was the fail of the Lord
up in those parts, l may tell you,
though you won't find it in any blue
book. There are times, young fellah.
when every one Of us must make
stand for human right and justice or
you never feel clean again. That's why
made little war on my own. De
clared 1t myself, waged it myself, end
ed It myself Each Of those hicks is
for a slave murderer-a good row Of
them-what? That big one is for Pc
dro Lopez, the king Of them all, that !
ldlled in Il backwater of the putomayo
river Now, here's something that
would do for YOU" He took out a
beautiful brown and silver rife. "Well
tfhl at In lao, ~.