Read Online Tales From Gavagan's Bar by L. Sprague de Camp, Fletcher Pratt - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: L. Sprague de Camp, Fletcher Pratt
Ads: Link
agility.
After this, Cornelia and Van Nest went to the palm grove every evening, often taking along a sketch pad and a flash; and she produced some remarkable drawings. The pair rather rudely discouraged efforts of other members of the expedition to go with them and seemed so much in love with each other that everyone was content to leave them in privacy. However Professor Rousseau observed that after about three weeks Cornelia—whose daytime work suffered severely by the amount of time she spent out at night—appeared to be growing cooler toward the young man.
Seeking the cause, he concealed himself near the palm grove before dark. The moon was now in its second quarter, and he had some difficulty in seeing; but when Campbell and Cornelia arrived and the animals began to come out, it was at once evident that something was wrong. There were only four of them, and these not of the most eccentric character. Moreover, though he was not near enough to hear what was being said, P rofessor Rousseau declares there was no difficulty in making out the tone of the voices. Cornelia was upbraiding the young man, and he was pleading with her.
# ★ #
Willison put out his glass for another refill. "I think I get it," he said. "That sea air and exercise were getting the booze out of his system. That's what I told him he ought to do."
"Such was evidently Campbell's own conclusion," continued Tobolka. "On the morning after this, while the members of the expedition were at work, Campbell raided the stock of whiskey, drank almost an entire bottle of it, and was found in his cot in a stupor. Professor Rousseau was very much annoyed and reproved Campbell severely. However, the object of his maneuver was attained. Cornelia accompanied him to the palm grove once more and next morning appeared radiant, with sketches of an entirely new and very aberrant form of Limulus.
"After this, he persuaded Cornelia to obtain whiskey for him. The process did not last long, for the base ship soon arrived and the work of the expedition was completed. At this point, Professor Rousseau encountered a difficulty, for Cornelia absolutely refused to leave the island until she had seen some more of Campbell's animals. With equal vehemence, he refused to leave her; and they could not come back together because of those same animals.
"Director Rousseau decided that they were both adults, entitled to make their own decisions, so he left them some tents and supplies and arranged for a boat to make periodic calls at Jackson Key. He tells me that, as Cornelia doesn't have a great deal of money and Campbell had none at all when he was cast on the beach, they were finding it difficult to pay for liquor. When last seen, they were trying to ferment cococut milk. Perhaps we may learn some day whether they succeeded."
"Well, thank you, Dr. Tobolka," said Willison. "Maybe I ought to arrange to send his books down there. What do you think?"
-
THE GIFT OF GOD
"It makes a man sad to see something like that," said Mr. Gross, shaking his head. "In the first place, a Martini is not the drink for an evening, and in the second, a woman that spends her time drinking solitary in bars is on the road to ruination. Who is she, Mr. Co-han?"
He motioned with his head toward one of the tables, occupied by a woman who might have been a well-preserved forty. In front of her was a double Martini from which she occasionally sipped, running her tongue around her lips after each sip and staring into the glass as though it were ten feet deep. The bartender glanced, then placed both hands on the bar and leaned over.
"Mr. Gross," he said severely, "It will do you to know that I
After this, Cornelia and Van Nest went to the palm grove every evening, often taking along a sketch pad and a flash; and she produced some remarkable drawings. The pair rather rudely discouraged efforts of other members of the expedition to go with them and seemed so much in love with each other that everyone was content to leave them in privacy. However Professor Rousseau observed that after about three weeks Cornelia—whose daytime work suffered severely by the amount of time she spent out at night—appeared to be growing cooler toward the young man.
Seeking the cause, he concealed himself near the palm grove before dark. The moon was now in its second quarter, and he had some difficulty in seeing; but when Campbell and Cornelia arrived and the animals began to come out, it was at once evident that something was wrong. There were only four of them, and these not of the most eccentric character. Moreover, though he was not near enough to hear what was being said, P rofessor Rousseau declares there was no difficulty in making out the tone of the voices. Cornelia was upbraiding the young man, and he was pleading with her.
# ★ #
Willison put out his glass for another refill. "I think I get it," he said. "That sea air and exercise were getting the booze out of his system. That's what I told him he ought to do."
"Such was evidently Campbell's own conclusion," continued Tobolka. "On the morning after this, while the members of the expedition were at work, Campbell raided the stock of whiskey, drank almost an entire bottle of it, and was found in his cot in a stupor. Professor Rousseau was very much annoyed and reproved Campbell severely. However, the object of his maneuver was attained. Cornelia accompanied him to the palm grove once more and next morning appeared radiant, with sketches of an entirely new and very aberrant form of Limulus.
"After this, he persuaded Cornelia to obtain whiskey for him. The process did not last long, for the base ship soon arrived and the work of the expedition was completed. At this point, Professor Rousseau encountered a difficulty, for Cornelia absolutely refused to leave the island until she had seen some more of Campbell's animals. With equal vehemence, he refused to leave her; and they could not come back together because of those same animals.
"Director Rousseau decided that they were both adults, entitled to make their own decisions, so he left them some tents and supplies and arranged for a boat to make periodic calls at Jackson Key. He tells me that, as Cornelia doesn't have a great deal of money and Campbell had none at all when he was cast on the beach, they were finding it difficult to pay for liquor. When last seen, they were trying to ferment cococut milk. Perhaps we may learn some day whether they succeeded."
"Well, thank you, Dr. Tobolka," said Willison. "Maybe I ought to arrange to send his books down there. What do you think?"
-
THE GIFT OF GOD
"It makes a man sad to see something like that," said Mr. Gross, shaking his head. "In the first place, a Martini is not the drink for an evening, and in the second, a woman that spends her time drinking solitary in bars is on the road to ruination. Who is she, Mr. Co-han?"
He motioned with his head toward one of the tables, occupied by a woman who might have been a well-preserved forty. In front of her was a double Martini from which she occasionally sipped, running her tongue around her lips after each sip and staring into the glass as though it were ten feet deep. The bartender glanced, then placed both hands on the bar and leaned over.
"Mr. Gross," he said severely, "It will do you to know that I
Similar Books
