Argosy All-Story Weekly, October 6, 1923 — page 175: what you’re looking at

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

7 THE TUSK OF And there another surprise met us—a surprise almost as great as when we found that the paymaster had indeed shot off the tusk of El Carnicero. The village was one great outcry, as in ‘mourning for the dead. And in truth so it was. We were told to go to the shack of the chief, and he would tell us all. And when we arrived there, who should we _ find stricken dead but that chief’s favorite wife, a girl who was half Negrit’ and half your American negro, se70r, whom the chief had brought over the mountains from a village near Camp Stotsenburg where the negro cavalry regiment was stationed. And great was the chief’s erief, for by her had he hoped to raise a tribe of greater men and bolder hunters, because of that African blood, you see. And now—she was dead. The little Negrit’ lifted the rag with which he had.covered her, American fash- ion, to keep away the flies, and then we saw what had taken away her life. A great gash down the left leg, senor; then another, deep and red, that had torn her right breast and penetrated deeply to the heart after she had fallen. Such a stroke! With the instant thought coming to me I raised my eyes to the Chief’s, and found my answer and my heart was sick for him. “ FE] Carnicero!” I muttered. “ Why did he come here? And—” Another thought: “When was this thing of evil done, chief?” I asked. And he answered that it was at the hour of dawn this very morning. And I put what he said into your tongue, sejor, in order that that paymaster, stand- ing there puffing a cigarette, might under- stand. And I wondered much that he should so start when I told him. And his cigarette dropped from his fingers. For of a truth, and I must tell it, senor, that paymaster was no cobarde, but a bold man, though anevil one. Then he cleared his throat, and spoke. “ Ask him about the tusk.” And this I did, wondering why I had not thought of such a question myself. For much would depend upon the answer. For hes senor, THE BUTCHER “Aye,” groaned the chief.“ Surely that king baubui was making vengeance upon us for what has happened to him. For his right tusk was gone as by magic, and it was with the left that this was done.” And he pointed to his dead favorite. Whereupon I told this to Barlow, and he stiffened like a statue again, and with trembling fingers took out the tusk that — he had shot off the night before, and held it up that Chief Augustin might see. _ And with that the chief gave a terrible cry, and made as though to tear it from 95% that paymaster’s hand. But the paymaster — drew back with a frown and a snarl. “No,” he muttered. ‘ No, keep it for a charm that I may soon match it with the tusk that killed his wife.” Tell him I And when I had finished the chief alse = drew up stiffly, and a fire was in his eyes, and he spoke slowly and with awful mean- “Say to that cold hearted man of evil and death that he will regret the shot that broke off that tusk and brought my wife to this. Say that El Carnicero never forgets, and that he will hunt him until death comes, and even after death. Tell him that so long as he holds that tusk will = he be safe, but that my people will pay for what he has done in death and more death | and even more. Tell this man who mocked- at my son’s pain, and who has brought — about my favorite’s death, that we Negritos ~-also do not forget, but that we will leave our-vengeance in the hands of those that vengeance will surely come.” The paymaster interrupted. “ What in hell is that fool talking about?” he cried, as he shifted his weight to the other foot, and hitched his rifle in his arm. Now f was not one to bring upon Chief Augustin the anger of this man of evil. And besides, did I quite love this man of evil myself? Of a truth, I leave the answer to that question to you. Had I not twice reached for the handle of my bolo back there on the trail? And so I lied, and yet in vine said that which I felt would be best too for myself and my own skin, seeing that I was to. spend the next few days with that pay- _ things that are greater than man, but that ae --cOmIcbOOKS (0)