Captive

Take one man with a driving compulsion, give him his chance to destroy it. That's our story, captive, taken from the files of John Steele, adventurer.

Hello friends, this is John Steele. This week's story is laid in the steaming heat of the tiger country. You know, it's always been my practice to try to space my guests from week to week so that their adventures are different, geographically and in situation.

That's why I was pleased to run into Jim Madden this week. I first met Jim when he was on an expedition in the jungle near Saigon in Indochina. I thought I knew him pretty well during those first three years down there, but when he tells his story, you'll see as I did, how much a man hides of his real feelings.

Folks, this is Jim. It's funny how a man will hang on to something year after year even when he knows it doesn't make sense. It had been like that with me ever since we'd finished that last expedition.

The others didn't lose any time packing for the States, and we were all up to here with sweaty jungles and mosquitoes in the Lariat. I hated it as much as they did, but I didn't go back with them.

I couldn't. Not yet. I got a little native hut on the edge of Saigon, a few days right from the bush, nearing up the push into it every chance I could for three years. I got to know it like the lines in my hand.

Hunting parties coming through seemed to like the idea of an English-speaking guide. There weren't many of them, but it kept me going. I had to take a lot of ribbing from the local barflies. He didn't stop me though.