The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, October 18, 1903, Page 1

IS is the first installment of “The Golden Fetich” a new story that promises to “The Mystery Box” Gold,” both of which olished complete in the Sun- You remember those? They nsely absorbing and thrill- o the last extreme. 11, under the Sunday Call's lt- erary policy of not omly giving its readers the very latest and best novels of the day, by world famous authors, you will not only get “The Golden Fetich” complete as it was originally written, but you will get it quickly—four installments st the most. No interminable ssries of “Omfineadmmmt,"mdmlmg waits Dbetween installments. This book would cost you 81 50 anywhere else. Ihpotntcftwtyoneumvtm 1t in any other paper in America. $Oopyright, 1908, by Dden Phillpotta) CHAPTER L + ®HE ¥FOTICE FOUND. ‘ ¢ LEASE God, sound of a ng I thought I had in looked et him with a admiration. ve been made of tough 2 pleasant experi- feared the thing e governor @led I liow. Out of re- y the harples he was under ck as star- back " was rather a ne and as- His father ithy man, I mann of a dier had left poorer than he ex- begins young ent at the sale egarded as pre- of the chase, nd too slow to repre- CFARR IO MBI N D 9,000, where he e would be aid Tracy Fain. “Do r hopes and ex- to that, fortune stoutly. ing till the men who came to our hose who seldom got asked and so with everything He had half &8 regiment s on the estate, and, of a dozen was earning He @idn’t know h oney spinning. nder the impression he e quite a tidy fortune.” e bullt of the same stuff as t I'm proud to think [ve ke his; but I'm not worthy € e same breath with in ten thousand.” and looked out over ilis of Kent. Autumn already metlowed the woodlands and powdered 2t tracts and glades of bracken His cousin regarded him sh slightly contemptu~ had a shrewder intelldct an the frank blue : bat life had yet rt was and prove the He was a three years’ junior to Meldrum, but they had Lseen m of one another in early life, L to-dey Fain, from mingled emotions, perhaps not wholly devold of sentiment, had come down for the day from London ghow whe young felio } § to Tunbridge and bad driven out with his cousin to take a last look at Tamilin Hall. It represented half the sum total of the past happiness of both mep; as boys they had dwelt there together; and thely earilest recollections were stirred as they paced the chambers mnow echoing and empt “That's the room my mother dled In,” sald Roy es they stopped for a moment in a small apartment flooded with western light. “It was her boudoir, and the gov= ernor had it shut up after her death. Then, two days before he went himself, he insisted on having it opened again and would occupy the couch mother passed saway upon. Thers he dled, too, and if ever & man saw things hidden fram his watchers he did at the end. He spoke end stretched out his arms and greeted ber, a5 though she had come to welcome bim from the other side of the dark val- “I know you belleve all that sort of thing, old chap,” sald Fain, quietly, “Long may you continue to do so, if you get any solid satisfaction out of it. I envy the man with faith. It must be very comfort. ing in this weary world. Now, let's 8o and look at the smoking-room, the gen- eral’s sanctum sanctorum. Thers I emoked my first cigar—stolen when Uncle Rupert had his back turned.” "It looks naked and awfully wretched now. Everything’s gone, of course—the pictures, the trophies, the old swords, the helmet I put on that day to frighten your eisters and couldn't get off again— &ll vanished. And for such ghastly low rices. I could have smashed some of brutes haggling over sixpences at sale last week, only that wouldn’t ve done any practical good, of course.” Probably not—except make an addie tional hole In your last few thousand pounds. This wes the room. How dif- ferent now!" They entered a handsoms apartment h dark oak celling and carved panel- g reaching to the height of a man's shoulder. Upon wallpaper which eov- ered the room above the lofty walnscot &ppeared strange impressions, where the various trophies that had hung there aforetime had left the paper clean be- hind them. “What's that above the mantelplece?™ :‘ td”Fain, “They've forgotten some- He pointed to a small square object b ing high on the wall. ¢ Jove! They thought it was a ven- tor, I'll bet. But I know what 1t 1s."* OW are we going to get 1t?" you on to the mantelpiece, d climb on to it myself, but ranteed to cargy 14 stone.” All right. Steady! Great BScott! I feel like an Infant in arms.” The s Roy laugh till the cak ceiling echoe but meantime he had picked up his cousin with consummate ease and lifted him to a broad stone m shelf four feet from the ground le object on the wall was now in Fain’s reach. A moment r he had dislodged it and jumped ack to the floor. “What is 1t?" he asked. Roy took the thing in hand, blew the dust off it and then cleaned it with his pocket handkerchief. The curio was a small, hard packet three inches long, two broad and about one inch deep. It was vered in a plece of sand-colored T e and t sewn with fiber. It ed from a circular string of small seeds in shape of a necklace. t looks like some mumbo-jumbo foole of niggers,” surmised Fain. st what it is,”" answered his cousin. r got that and a big oxhide nd a sheaf of assegals when rrant of the Cape mounted po- me back from South Africa. He on a holiday right up in Central rica, near the Batonca country, you re- A horde of black men were bay all through a long pitch- ght by a hunting party of ten en and a parson, who loaded the wouldn’t shoot. I mean the wouldn’t. They came off without sses, though several were wounded. the good old parson sald it was ul to see about 200 black men on acks when the sun rose, because of that there would be 200 less Christians go to glory. “That emulet there came off a dead man's neck. A big man, too. He was called M'wenga, and afterward when the 1 s caved in and made peace, they dug up the chap and took him back to his kraal up the country and buried him in style. And they made a rare row when the fetich couldn’t be found. They sald the new chief wanted it. “Young Tarrant had all the dead war- rior's spears and his headdress and everything, and as for that little packet, no doubt it hung around the baggars neck to protect him against trouble. But the charm didn't work against a rifie bule let, somehow."” “What's in the thing, I wonder?” mused Fain, regarding the object with rest. -up toad, or a few berries from e man’s tree, or a lion's tooth, or rubbish. Tarrant sald lots of the slaughtered Batoncas had charms and the feliows opened were full of s. But one amulet had a jolly od diamond in it—only in the rough, yet there it was, and a man from the Trans- vaal e a hundred quid for it. After that, rrant sald, there were not many charms or fetiches left unopened.” “Perhaps this thing has a treasure in it, too.” “I hardly like to open it—yet we may as well.” Tracy laughed. “‘Open it by all means. Here we stand on the threshold of grand mystery for all we can say. Your life lles before you and you have no inclination one way or another. The contents of this charm may declde you. Why mnot? Stranger things have happened. - Be- sides, you have such a solid trust in Provid e.” “Yes, I have, for all your sneers,” sald Roy, stoutly. “But even I don't expect to find evidences of Providence hidd away in a Batonca warrior's necklace. However, here goes. If it's & diamond we'll share and share allke. I should never have seen the thing hang- ing up there but for you."” Fain put out his hand and arrested the other’s knife which was about to cut open the fetich. “‘One moment. I've got & rum feeling about this. Will you go further and say ‘share and share alike, whatever it con- tains?” “Good or bad?” - “Yes.” “Well, you're & rum chap! If you don’t belleve in Providence you evidently believe in something.” “I believe In my own presentiments.” Meldrum did not answer, but & moment later had cut into the mysterious packet, torn off the lion’s hide covering, and re- vealed the contents. First came a plece of coarse paper neatly and tightly folded into the necessary shape, and within it appeared a flat, thin, irregularly shaped disc of gold, upon which was set a curi- ous ink-black figure. But the talisman, or whatever it might be, paled its interest before the paper that contained it. - Fain occupied himself with this and spread it out carefully, while Meldrum stiidied the dise. A loud 1 “A dr a medict “fi‘;"‘m‘ made him almost @rop the gol . “Look—look, man! English! English writing in some brown sort of ink and— ah! what's that great, rusty-red splash at the bottom?"” 2 ring the paper to the window,” he sald, “the light begins to wane.” They scanned the scrawl and the splash closely before endeavoring to decipher it. ““We need no detective to read this rid- dle,” sald Tracy Fain. “The poor soul who began to write it never lived to fin- ish. D'you see the blot at the end where his pen suddenly fell?” “Yes, in the middle of a word. *And the splash at the bottom?” “An Englishman's blood, As he bent over his work guard came up behind and put a through his back or a bullet head. As for the writing, it's wonderful- 1y neat and fine, though probably the “Being this day in sound mind and body, yet having the fear, of death most terials were very rough—a porcu, for pen and some flmmwl_ut berries for “‘Better read it if we can,” said Roy. “That may save the trouble of making S Pogathe ghl;arl ?’" men bent the e two over Togatber Then, as Fain llawl;, made out the strange cocument, now for the first time-since its creation spread before a white,K man's eyes, Meldrum pocketbook and it aloud. Thus it ran: crumpled paper. wrote a fair col afterward read 7 tion, and being unsuccessful thers, wan- dered northward with three friends—tried men all. But they have gone and the ®pears of the Matabele let the life out of them mnear twenty years ago. We had struggled morth by slow stages and through many adventures, and when my companions fell I would have welcomed death gladly enough but for those at Bbome. “The Matabell took me prisoner and, love of lits.growing again within me as the chance ©f it diminished, I conformed to the demands of my masters, Instructed them'In the arts of civilization and dwelt with them .for -the space’ ‘ofIfour -years. Then, 7 opportunity - offering and “war breaking out between two neighboring tribes, I made my escape and endeavored to get back south. But chance led my steps astray and I avolded one danger to fall In with others. “The man Pomba of the tribe of the Batoncas I found sore wounded by the wayside and was moved to play the good Samaritan. Never did human being save a nobler and worthler life. Now on the eve of my last attempt to return whence 1 came it is Pomba's right arm, his strength and his skill I trust to. But even he will have his powers taxed to the ut- most, for this cursed country i3 In up- roar, his own people, friendly until now, thave grown cold against me, and it may go hard with us at any moment. There- fore 1 write this much in hope that, if I die, my treasure.may not lie hidden here forever. “To be briet, after falling in .with Pom- ba and saving his life, he.attached him- self to me, proved my lucky genius and marked the turning-point in my fortunes. Within two months'of ‘our meeting in the 1and offthe Kalongas.I had struck wealth as great as any that man’has dreamed of since, the tales of Arablan Nights' en- tertainments; and now, with such dla- monds as I can carry, and’that is a num- ber- huge enough, I set forth. “But half my stupendous discovery lles hidden close at hand—buried deep and safe in the stony seed pods of the umzimbete —a wild tree abundant hereabout. There 1t will lie sa¥e hidden from the knowledge of all men but Pomba and myself until I return to clalm it if ever I shall do so. “To know the exact region, leave the southern confines of Lake Mweru due north, then press along by the river Luapula, that forms a boundary between the Congo State and British territory. 'And, where divers lesser risers enter it south of the lake of Mweru, take that stream called -Wambasi and follow it within the territory™ of the Batoncas Here stands my hut, under an umzimbete, without the village boundary, beside the Golden Falls.' Appro—."" Roy Meldrum stopped abruptly. “That’s where death:ended: his inter- est in dlamonds and everything else,” he said; “yet—well,” what one man has hi den another might find—is it not so? The ruins of his hut may still stand under the tree.” “A gorgeous wildgoose chasel You wouldn't “spend your scanty patrimony ke that?" “I don’t know. I shodld have & great time, anyway, and kill some heavy game, and live every moment of each thrilling day. And st worst & man can only die once.” “So this r chap found. The fos fell on him like a whirlwind, doubtless; and he and his‘faithful Pomba were sent to ‘kingdom come’ together.” CHAPTER IL THE OTHER BIDE OF THE PAPER. Through the shadows of evening, and where pale blue mist-wreaths twined Ilke fingers over the gold of the autumn woods, Roy Meldrum and his cousin passed rapidly. The elder's last glimpse of his father's home showed its dark mass and twisted chimneys rising against a rusty red sunset. The dog cart which Meldrum drove quickly, soon rattled them back to Tunbridge, and, after a comfort- able dinner at the hotel’ the cousins strolled to the rallway station and caught the last traln back to town. Conversation quickened .over thelr share and share alike, I suppose one must keep the talisman, the other the paper. Let me retaln the gold disc and I will cheerfully surrender the keeping of the manuscript to you.” “They are equally valueless, I fear.' “Impossible to say that. I'm jolly san- guine myself. Take my advice and see me through. What is there about your present work that fascinates you so much? Three hundred a year ism't so grand that you need stick to it when you might stand a rosy chance of making ten thousand a year for all we know. Chuck up your office and put in & year or so in the wilds with me. If we succeed you won't regret it; if we fall I can promise you as good as you have got.” “Just like a Meldrum,” sald Fain. “Al- ways up in' the clouds, slways oversan- guine and overbold.” My father would have seen this thing through as & young man, so I shall. It must be a grand experience any way and experience is always useful.” “If you live to avall yourself of 1t." Well, exactly. And I shall live. I'm not built to flicker out at & breath of mp air.” f abnormal biceps could do it, the @lamonds would be yours all right, no doubt. But more than biceps go to suc~ cess in Central Africa.™ “You mean brains. Well, I know my upper story Is a bit light, but the few things I have managed to cram into it are just the sort to be useful on a job like this. Anyway you've got plenty of brains for us both. Better change your mind and come. You can only live your life once, as I sald before. Why not en- Joy 17" “As to enjoying it, old man, I can't say a trip of this sort would give me the least enjoyment in itself. But I should like to make a fortuhe and you wouldn't believe me if I said 1 dldn't.” “Well, let it be a bargain.’ We may do something that will wake the world up. Who knows?” “I can't dash at it in this hot-blooded way. You don't know what you're doing. Only one white man ever gets through to about 100 who go down on these explor- ations to Central Africa. Besides the ex- pense. Your money will go like waters It's certainly 100 to 1 against us—perhaps more. Let me review the position from these scanty beginnings and you'll see I'm right. First, here’s a poor beggar, name unknown, who has on his own con- fession been residing with the niggers in the bush for years. He gets away from the Matabele at last and discovers a na- tive, called Pomba, at death’s door.- They become. tremendous chums and keep go- ing together until the white man ‘strikes it rich and apparently finds himself kick- ing diamonds about in the heart of Afri- ca. We are to understand that he and his trusty Man Friday buried the bulk' of their treasure near a place called Golden Falls, then got knocked on the head for their pains; and we don’t know to within 1000 miles or so where all this happened. “Yes, we do. The directions are explicit as can be. The river is named and the tribe of niggers that he thought he was frienc'y with—the Batoncas.®Who killed him we can’t sff) but seeing his message was taken off a Batonca’s neck, it isn't hard to guess.” “It may seem clear enough om paper. But it's a different thing when you're a stranger in a strange land, with nothing but sun and stars to tell you your way and a thousand dangers and enemies hid- ing on both hands. Think twice, Roy, and don’t wasts your money. Second thoughts are best.” At Charing Cross the men parted after an engagement to dine together.on the following evening In Tracy Fain's dig- gings. Meldrum sought his cludb, and Fain returned to his quarters In Westminster. After he had done so he lighted a lamp, drew- his armchair to the table and again produced the manuscript. He lookell round him half as though he expected to see another person, then spread the pa- per, turned it over and examined the back of it. On the reverse of the sheet, in caligra- phy even more minute than that he had already recited to Roy Meldrum, was ons line of forty words. This he had caught a glimpse of when first he opened the manuscript, but, after reading the main document, from some impulse he had not repeated the single line to his cousin. The words ran along the bottom of the paper, and now, taken in connection with the dead man’s other statement, they pos- sessed pecullar significance. For a moment Tracy was In doubt whether they had in reality any reference to the main body of the docume: he decided that they must have. Thus ran the strange direction: “Stand where the peaks of the Antelope Head Bluff are in one line. Then wait til the hour when the rainbow shines upon the mist of the falls, and where the pur- ple of the arch touches the forest—there— in white ants® nest.” Tracy Fain wrinkled his brow over this enigmatic direction, then read and reread the unfinished record on the other side. Soon he defined his position with the added knowledge contributed by this sin- gle line. It amounted to an exact direc- tion as to the position of the treasure. Somewhere about the limit of British ter- ritory in the direction of Lake Tangan- yika, or in the extreme south of the Con- go State, a dead Englishman had made & marvelous find of preclous stones. The