Argosy All-Story Weekly, October 6, 1923 — page 171: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE TUSK OF compassion or virtue, and this at the very _ start, even before the beginning of the actual hunt. He did not once show Sane for the Negrit’ lad who lay on the bamboo couch close to us, groaning with the pain caused by the terrible gashing blow of El Carni- cero’s great tusk. Lieutenant Douglas three times left his cards, though he was losing much dimero, to give the little fellow cold drink, and-lay a hand upon the fore- head that was damp and cold With the sweat of pain. And each time that he did this, that paymaster would argue. “Let the blackie alone, Douglas,” he ~ would say. ‘‘ Damn it, can’t we have a little game here without this cursed inter- - ruption!” There was no use answering such a man. So it was that on the Friday afternoon that came next, the steam launch took me out to the destroyer on which the pay- master had his duty: and from there we, this Barlow and I, took rifles and made a landing at the coal deck across the bay. From this place we took the trail that led over the hill, and through the mangrove swamp, to the bamboo. I could see by his eye that the pay- master did not know our Philippine bosque, but I felt, too, that nevertheless he was a man not unaccustomed to the hunt. He carried his rifle in such a way, senor, and his feet trod so lightly over the dry leaves and broken bamboo that crackled so loudly if stepped upon. And his eyes were swift to see all movements or strange bits of color. I wondered if the man could shoot the rifle he balanced in the crook of his arm. -A paymaster is not a fighting man of the Navy, as you well know, unless it be in arguing over his pay checks and his accounts with the food contractors ashore. But, ha! He took the lead over the trail, and suddenly became a motionless statue. I, also, froze. Then slowly I saw his hand creep back in my direction, and his finger beckon, s-l-o-w-l-y.. And as is my custom, I awed to his side without sound, and almost. it would seem without a step. It is not for nothing, sevor, that I have the reputation that is known all over Luzon. And my THE BUTCHER. “that gallo for supper to- night. eyes were alert, and I sought for some bit of color in the brown and green of the bamboo that would mean a living creature: But I could see nothing, until the pay- master nodded to his left hand, and whispered in my ear. “What is that?” And then it was that I made out a point of red behind a tangled root clump perhaps fifty steps away. At once I knew what manner of thing it was, and silently I called myself un ciego, a blind man, that I had _let the paymaster see this first. “ A wild chicken, sezor,” I said. “ Will it frighten the tusker if I shoot him?” whispered this Barlow. “ We are many kilos from where the pigs lie, senor,’ I replied, and truly we were, though had I expected to see one beyond the next turn in the trail I would have bade him shoot, for my curiosity was great. And also it is well to know how the man with -whom one hunts can handle his rifle, There are times when life depends upon one’s companions, and this El Carnicero was not a pig that was cobarde, Se one who would charge an elephant, sefor. - * Besides,” I continued. Shoot, but it is a long shot, and a chicken not a great target.” Slowly he raised his rifle, but it had hard- ly come to level when the shot rang out. The red point disappeared; yet as we ran to the spot where it had been there was a - rustling of dry leaves, and when we arrived, there was a hotly. colored wild cock, dead, with the bullet hole through the lower part of his neck, near the crop, senor. The paymaster did not even smile as he turned the gallo over with his gun, | “ Bring it along, and pluck the feathers as you go,” he ordered sa and turned back to the trail. I felt the blood rush to a head, sefior, as he said these words, for I was not ser-~ vant, being well born in my province. And besides, my services were to cost the pay-. master not a single feso, and that he well knew, it being the condition on which I hunted with him. But I did not like his manner to me, nor the tone of command in what he said. OO —— m “S (E(@) (E@) Se. ™ Eboo