LUST FOR ADVENTURE

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 86, 5 January 1935, Page 6

LUST FOR ADVENTURE

Nogales- Soldier of Fortune

Every British soldier who fought in the Great War will remember the name of Rafael de Nogales.

( Soldler. of fortune, he fought with oyery ounce of courage In the' enemy ranks, yet his name is as highly respected among those against whom he fought as any of their own heroes —though he has been branded as an outlaw. Straight from the formal atmosphere of London clubs and Paris drawing-rooms, he plunged into a hectic life of fighting and adventure. “I have frequently found myself In the thick of It, when hell was brewing in some corner of the world,” he stated recently. ■ “Maybe the fact that I was born in Venezuela, that most turbulent of all our Latin-American republics, ( and that I was raised since the age of seven in an equally martial country, Germany, has something to do with my existence during the past 30 years. “The first and most remarkable character I met during months of adventuring was Tim O’Reilly, or ‘Lanky,’ for short. He was a tough citizen from all angles, and. a man who shot at sight on the slightest provocation. “I always respected his gun, but I learned very early that he could do cleverer things than kill. • “On a stormy night when thousands of terrified longhorns went crashing madly along like a black tidal wave, it was then that Lanky showed his consummate skill and brilliant daring. “Into the midst of this roaring inferno, fantastically lit by lightning, he plunged recklessly, blazing away with a six-shooter in each hand in l a desperate effort to head off our valuable herd, many thousands strong, from the dreaded Lone Canyon opening out before us.

"By a superhuman effort Lanky won his battle almost single-handed against thousands of cattle blinded by madness and panic. “I begaji to think that his reputation as a slayer of men must be exagger-

ated. In an hour I had changed my mind. , .. . .

“We were sitting round our camp fire enjoying- our frugal breakfast—everyone but Lanky worn, out -and dog tired. Suddenly it occurred to him that he would like to play cards. Out came his battered deck, and its Inevitable accompaniment, a gallon of ‘rat poison.’ “I felt so tired after that all-night •ride that I wanted'to lie down and sjeep. “Lanky would have none of it, and insinuated that the real reason I did not want to join him was that I was afraid of losing my money. ' ’“That settled it. As often happens when a man" doesn’t want to play, luck was on my side. Greenbacks and silver dollars kept piling up in front of me while Lanky, who had forced me into the game, was drinking harder and reaching down for his bottom dollar. ‘‘This meant that the game was rapidly reaching the danger stage. “It did. With a vicious snarl, Lanky suddenly jumped to his feet, and, pointing, at me with a shaking hand, bellowed: . . ■ “Confound you, kid, you've been playing .with four aces down and one up your sleeve. Own up!” “‘You’re a liar!’,l howled back. “Instantly he drew his gun like the killer he was, but I happened to be a lot more sober and a shade quicker on the trigger this time. . . .

“He was lying on the ground holding his side. The wild look had gone from his eyes, and, wiping blood from his mouth,, he muttered weakly: “ ‘Sorry, kid, I didn’t mean it Bad liquor and—and—- " With a lump in my throat I grasped his knotty hand? I had lost a friend. I have never played cards since.

“I still feel a thirst to live dangerously. There is never a chance to tire of the unquiet life—and that, I suppose, is why I shall go out and seek more of it soon.' That is, if I can dodge London taxicabs for just a little while longer.”