The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-07

away from there. 1t will only give
Mullins an excuse to beat you up"
Cash? Can you get ?" asked
Corrigan, eNcitedly.
Six hundred. maybe eight"
Corrigan plucked at the sweltering
tar in the crack beside him.
Are you gamer
In what may" countered Cathew.
I mean, are you willing to risk
death?"
That depends upon what 1 60 IT,
ter"
Il was three years in the navy after
1 quit the ring and know the
Orient as you know the palm of your
hand. If you're game, I'll make you
my partner, don't think you would
leave a man in the lurch."
Its easy to find out. What have
you got up your sleever
Seven pigeon-blood rubies, each
as big as your eye, and an emerald
thatll make your heart jump up in
your gullet and stick there! For scme
years I've known about it, but 1
rever could get enough dough to-
eether"
I'll SO along il you want me-
AT Colombo Cathew sent a cable.
ana his heart grew light at the
Thought of welcome that message
would receive within 40 hours.
And, OH Ceylon was an isle. fair
as woman's face and as languous
as her soul. He would never forget
his first impression of the red road
out to the Gale Face hotel and the
moonlight breaking in silver lances
against the tops of the ever-incoming
equatorial rollers; the shadowy clus-
tiers of milk coconut, the elusive
odor of spice in the air, balmy and
gentle blowing, the nearness of the
blue vault, the glimpse of a temple
top, the Whit of incense, and the
pretty Chingalese women with their
pabes astraddle their undulatinE
hips.
Corrigan got drunk and as Cathew
helped the fireman into his bunk his
interest was suddenly stirred by a
strange bit of tattooing on Corrigan's
right leg. 1t was dimly discernibie in
the murl1y light.
What's that on your leg?' Cathew
whispered
'Huh?"
whats that tatooing?"
Is tn map--..--" And Corrigan
fell asleep.
And mayhap he dreamed of seven
pigeon bloods and an emerald fit for
rapahs ceremonial turban; of
bleached bones grown over with
slithering jungle grass on the road
winding down to Perak.
TITS like this" said Corrigan next
day. You can lose q piece of paper,
but you can't very well lose a leg,
l did the tattooing. Manys the half
dollar I've slowed away for that
kind of work. Those dots tell me
just where to go. while another man,
having my leg in his dunnage-bag,
couldn't get within a hundred miles
CT the spot. But it's game with
death, both ends from the middle"
you know Malacca?"
"a little" answered Corrigan.
TN 60"
"AndTll teach you all know about
the country. And now, no more about
Perak till we leave this old hooker
at Singapore. Wish L was sure about
your money coming"
But at the American consuls were
two cablegrams. Cathew tore open
the first with trembling fingers It
was an order on the cable office for
twenty-four hundred rupees. The sec
ind cable was from the father. take
care of yourself. All well at home.
Write. Father"
They cashed the order, and arm in
arm went to Kaffles hotel Cathew
wrote long letter home, and after
that they went about for clothes.
though the outfit for the expedition
was to be purchased at Perak; guns.
ammunition, canned foods medicines
and horses
Corrigan did not care to attract at
tention in Singapore by making such
purchases; and besides, at Perak there
would be no governmental red tape
regarding side arms. They sailed
promptly at dawn on a copra-boat,
and it was only when Singapore be-
came a rim of pale sapphire did
Cathew remember. And he struck the
rail savagely with his calloused fist.
Whats worrying you" asked
Corrigan.
Mullins. 1 forgot all about him.
%As I intended you should" said
Corrigan. chuckling. Man, he would
have made mincemeat of you; and
need a whole man with me when 1
leave Perak behind. Bad luck to
the big lummox!
But this is good. All these weary
years I've been worrying to get here;
bat never could I save the dough.
The outfit will tally up to about
1900 rupees We go zoo miles inland.
and it's wild country. We go,
Just the two of US, no coolies, only
two horses, a mule and light dun
mage. And it's there; only, we've
got to crawl on our bellies to get