Argosy All-Story Weekly, May 17, 1924 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

164 ly back into the shell, and the snake beheld nothing but a hard, shining object devoid of life and menace. Finding nothing to fight, the snake’s coil slowly loosened, and he was stretching out once more to sun himself in the grateful warmth. Then slowly the terrapin’s head emerged from the shell. Its mouth snapped upon the snake’s tail, and the terrapin’s head was withdrawn in the shell, the tail firmly cap- tured. Hissing fury of poison and death! A thrashing horror of virulence, splashing its deadliness harmlessly upon the terrapin’s hard covering! Again and again the snake writhed and twisted and struck until it fell back in utter exhaustion, twisting its tail about, and dragging the terrapin constantly toward the center of the coil where it must poise to strike. Finally the snake rested for a moment, and the terrapin lay upon the thickest part of its body. The terrapin’s head slowly emerged from its place of refuge, the grip upon the tail was released, and then the snapping jaws of the terrapin closed upon the thick flesh | in the center of the snake’s body, and once more the terrapin’s head sought the shelter of its hard shell! Another exhibition of fury and of fighting, an oozy, slimy, blood- like mess upon the ground, and the two gazed with horror and fascination at the dying struggles of the rattler. A few minutes later the snake lay help- less upon the sand. The terrapin released his hold and crawled slowly toward the ser- pent’s head. There was ho effort at defense upon the part of the snake, for he had been grievously wounded, and his strength was ebbing away. One inch behind the snake’s head the terrapin snapped his jaws once more into the serpent’s flesh, and the fight was over. Slowly the terrapin crawled away,crawled to the water’s edge, and went in under the water. Five minutes later, washed of all poison, the terrapin emerged from his bath, and the two upon the bridge breathed easier and began to talk. “Mr. White Boss, is you-all heard tell dat a terrapin toe is good luck?” “Yes,” Verdell answered. ‘Us niggers b’lieves in ’em an’ totes em,” the boy chuckled. ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. ‘The terrapin seems to signify that the way to succeed is to get a good grip on something, pull into your shell, and keep quiet until the opposition ceases from weari- ness and exhaustion; and then slip out of your shell and take another big bite,” Ver- dell remarked thoughtfully. ‘Yes, suh, dat’s de idee.” ‘““T need some luck pieces. You slip down there and capture that terrapin!” Manse said. The negro promptly swung over the edge of the bridge railing, walked down the sandy ridge on the edge of the water, and picked up the little creature. Bringing it back to the bridge, he laid it at the feet of Manse, and said: * Dat’s a good one, boss. He done been tried out. Whut he done to dat snake wus a plenty. How many of his toes is you aimin’ to tote aroun’ fer luck?” ‘All of them,’ Manse answered. “Want me cut ’em off fer you?” the negro asked, producing a big knife. “No. I want the terrapin to wear them. I’m going to keep the whole thing for a luck piece. You want to go along with me and take care of him for me?” The negro surveyed him for a moment as if uncertain of his meaning; then he asked: “Is you mean dat you needs a strong, will- in’ boy to wuck fer you?” net ait,” ‘“ Boss, you done got a nigger!” the col- ored boy replied with a chuckle, as he picked up the terrapin. start to wuckin’ an’ whut wuck does us do?” “ Right now,” Manse smiled. go! PB Side by side the two started back toward Tick fall. . After a while Manse asked: your name?”’ “‘ Eve’ybody, white an’ black, calls me Buckety,”’ the boy replied. “Where’d you get that name?” Manse wanted to know. The negro chuckled; his eyes protruded, showing much of the whites. Countless tiny wrinkles rippled across his coal- black face, reminding one of the ripples made by a tiny fish on the surface of a “ Let’s COmMicloooks ‘¢ What’s © “When do us (C@