Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 112: what you’re looking at

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

146 A hoarse guffaw of laughter arose. “ Pe- ranakan tjina,” several echoed in scornful disdain. Teema flashed crimson. His chin shot up, his eyes swept the crowd with a glance of vindictive hate and scorn as great as their own. Charging through the crowd hike a young bull on a stampede, he fled to the upper deck. The incident lasted but a moment, and Puddlewhit was too stunned by the widow’s amazing ingratitude and the extraordinary behavior of her fellow passengers to utter a protest. But as Teema Doud fled to the deck he turned in white hot fury on those who were shouting gibes and “ peranakan tjina,”’ in his wake. “You dogs!” he roared. “Is that your thanks to a man who risked his life where none of you dared follow?” Nature had dealt unkindly with Puddle- whit, his appearance was the opposite of imposing. Naturally gentle and of a calm and placid disposition, he was not easily moved to give way to passion, and rigid schooling had cultivated the habit of self- control. But as the deepest waters are sus- ceptible of the most violent agitation when once sufficient force has been applied, so Puddlewhit now acquired a majesty of wrath which made the most fearless around him quail. As Balzac has said: “ There is nothing so terrible as the rebellion of a sheep.” They shrank back, muttering, not daring to meet his flaming eyes or lift voice against the scourge of his tongue. When the heat of his anger died down, Puddlewhit walked slowly toward the wom- an’s portion of the deck, where the lady from Macassar had taken refuge with her son. Reproach and sadness replaced the passion in his face. She watched him com- ing, her eyes meeting his unafraid. “Tt was ungenerous of you,” he re- proached in a low voice. “ Why did you do it?” Her nose tilted disdainfully. “ He is a mixed blood, half white, half yellow, a pe- vanakan tjina,” she said. It was as though she had called him a leper. A light of understanding broke on Pud- dlewhit. He knew how highly the Chinese, particularly of high degree, value the purity ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY, of their blood, and the loathing they have for the mongrel. In a flash he recalled Teema’s bitter cry the day before, as they - were discussing his mother—“ Thou dost not understand!” , “He is my friend,” he declared sternly. “A brother to me.” 3 Her eyes widened in amazement, and contracted swiftly again. A flush mounted to her cheeks and her dainty lips curved with scorn. Very carefully she pulled her cloak over her shoulder and turned her back on him. Puddlewhit looked at her grimly. Wheel- ing, he passed through the silent rows of Malaysians and returned to his own deck. Teema was not in sight. Puddlewhit scoured the deck for him and finally found him in his cabin. Teema lay face down in his bunk, his head between his arms. He had not removed one of his dripping gar- ments. His body shook with convulsive sobs. Puddlewhit looked down upon him com- miseratingly. Seating himself on the edge of the bunk he placed a friendly arm about the young man’s neck. Teema swung it aside as he felt the touch and leaped to his feet. Through the sweaty, salty grime of tears his face glowed an angry red. His fierce, black eyes glittered with passion and a vengeful fury. : “Thou hast seen!” he barked in short, staccato sentences. “ Thou knowest now in what esteem they hold me. Why? Be- cause my father and my mother were of alien bloods. Were they not joined in wed- lock? Why, then, should I be called un- clean?” “Tt is unjust, Teema,’ Puddlewhit agreed sadly. “I cannot understand it.” “ Being white, thou canst not,” Teema agreed. ‘‘ Thou knowest not the loathing that the mandarin blood has for mixed blood. And the lesser apes chatter the same tongue. I could kill them all, I could tear them in pieces and feed the carcasses to the vultures.” He hissed the words through clenched teeth, his long fingers clawing the air. “No, Teema,” Puddlewhit dissented mildly. ‘ You must control your passions. Remember, you are a king.” a COMMicooolkSse©