Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 19, 1924 — page 155: what you’re looking at

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

THE ELK BONE SPEAR. a worthy hand that grasps the haft of -the spear will instantly feel the power. A thrill like the trickling of snow water will run along the arm. The heart quickens. The breath comes from deeper in the breast. The thrill is the power that the Saghalie gives to the worthy, I believe it.” Slowly then, as if making some votive offering before a shrine, Olo advanced her hand and laid the elk bone spear in the grasp of Dode Bradbury. Dode poised the spear, made as if to hurl it, balanced it again. Then he turned to Olo. ‘Id say a party that went hunt- ing a big blue with this pipe stem was a plumb idiot. Why, it hain’t got balance, nor heft. Now you.can take a thirty-five pound harpoon, Olo, why, when a man that knows heaves it, a man that’s got the steam and the strength, why, that harpoon goes deep, and vitals your whale if so be the harpoon is accurate cast. But this trinket! A man would be a fool that hunted a blue with this.” By degrees Olo’s head had sagged upon her breast. For a moment she was a pic- ture of dejection, defeat. But she lifted her head finally. “Dode, half a hundred armed Indians are patrolling the wood and the beach. It is decreed, my big boy, that you must put out in the canoe, and with this trinket slay the big blue whale. It is the decree. If you refuse—But, Dode, don’t you feel the power? Grasp the spear thus. Don’t you feel the thrill? I know you’re worthy. You never lied to or deceived a woman, did you, Dode? Nor ever did you steal, did you, Dode? Don’t you feel the power?” Dode’s jaw jarred loose and for an in- stant remained foolishly pendulous. Then it closed with a snap. His eyes took on a clint. He laid his great fingers about the haft of the spear, shook it on high. Olo clasped her hands and held her breath. Then he looked into the girl’s troubled face and smiled, as again he shook the spear. “ Say now, Olo, I swear I do feel it, kind of a twitter like that runs along your arm. ¥ feel it, sure. So that’s the power. Kind of like when you touch an engine battery that’s short circuited. I feel it. So that’s the power. Looke, little matey, I hain’t a 10 A | . ae a “ « oe ee oe . ew ee = - a Faas a ae a ee ee Be ey eee ee hn ee ee ee Oa, Re a rere Oo ee Pe ee ee oo 625 plumb fool. These Indians is five hundred to our two. They got it on us. But don’t you fret none. Now I got this power busi- ness straight, why Ill just naturally call these Siwashes. Sure. To-morrow morn- ing I’ll embark in this trick canoe, and Ill go voyaging out after whale. You caper back to these savages and you say that Dode feels the power, and he aims to put out and give a blue a terrible spanking with this here switch. I’m game, Olo, and ready to perform.” For an instant, looking up into his face, a great joy and relief, thrilled her. Then as suddenly, reason, deliberate reason swept away her fancy, leaving her cold with the same old dread and fear. ‘““No, Dode. It was foolish of me to expect you to believe this Indian witchery. Didn’t you just fib a little to me, Dode, about feeling the power, just to comfort me? If know, I understand. For you to fight a whale with this spear would be like asking you to make your kill with a bow and arrow, when you’d never hunted but with a thirty-thirty rifle. I know, Dode. If you had a month to practice with the elk bone spear, it might be different. No, Dode, you’re not going to make the sacri- fice. There will be, must be some other way.” She bent her head in thought, while Dode regarded her worshipfully. This little girl, with her prescient eyes of love had seen through his little subterfuge. He reached out and laid a hand on her shoulder. “ Just the same, Olo, little matey, I’ll go to the front and have a rassle with this whale. Chances is—” But she interrupted him with an eager clutching at his tarpaulin coat. “TI know, Dode.. I know! Years ago a whale boat, white man drifted in. In the boat were two harpoons, the big iron harpoons that the Boston men use. ‘Those harpoons are still in a shed at the end of the village. Dode, listen.” On tiptoe she whispered in his ear. ‘ You are to leave before daybreak, m the skin canoe, with only the elk bone spear. I will steal away. Down beach I will hide my own canoe, and in that canoe I will have one of the heavy Boston whale har- cS €O