Argosy All-Story Weekly, May 17, 1924 — page 52: what you’re looking at

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

alt 202 “ Because I want you to be with me when I hold court this morning.” “ All right, Katje.” She jumped excitedly to her feet and clapped her hands. Then, sobering instant- ly, she led the way into the long room, where all the men of the kraal had already assembled. As she entered they all rose and, with right hand upraised, boomed their saluta- tion. “Inkoosikaas!” and so the court was opened. Then there was a stir among the natives and two men—white men—were dragged before the girl. They were degraded looking specimens, repulsive in appearance. ‘Their faces were covered with beards of several days’ growth, their narrow foreheads sloping back into a mop of black, greasy hair which was over- long and curled in ringlets about their ears. “These men,” Katje explained curtly, “were taken by my warriors from the hut by the river where they had gone, hoping to sell their poison to my people.” She sighed. ‘“ There are always fools, and my eyes cannot be everywhere. Some of my people go to work at the mines where men like these teach them to drink so that they— who are no wiser than children—come back from a year’s labor poorer than they went. Truly! They sell their strength for money and give their money to these curs for stuff which destroys their manhood.” She raised her voite and, speaking now in the vernacular, ordered that certain na- tives be brought before her and, presently, three emaciated, consumptive looking blacks were thrust beside the two white men. They were as degraded specimens of their race as the white men of theirs. All had the same bestial look, the same puny physique and bleary, furtive eyes. “ Six months ago,” Katje said harshly, in- dicating the natives, “these men were as strong as any among my people. These ’— she pointed to the whites—“ made them what they are. What is your judgment, Big Jim?” He hesitated, then: “ Are you sure that these men have sold gin to your people?” ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. She spread her hands impatiently. “To my people or other black men. What does it matter whom they have de- stroyed? That they have destroyed is suffi- cient. But it is not gin they sell. It is no drink that white men could take. You are soft, Big Jim; you are too sentimental. Else you would have said: ‘ These men have killed—they must be killed.’ That has been my judgment on other snakes like these.” _ Hardwick moved a I'ttle way from her, frightened somewhat by the passionate hatred in her voice. “Yes,” she continued, “‘ sometimes I hate my race; sometimes I want to kill all white people for what they are doing to this coun: try. They can take the gold and diamonds —they are valueless—but why must they utterly destroy all the game of the land? Why must they destroy nations?” Then in a calmer voice she said: “ And is your judg- ment death, big Jim?” “Have you any of the stuff they tried to sell?” he countered. At her command a big stone jar was brought to him. Withdrawing the cork, he held the jar up to his nose and was almost nauseated at the stench. He sipped a little of the liquor it contained, taking hardly more than a spoonful, and at once gagged and called for water to cool his ‘burning tongue and throat. “No!” he said to Katje. ment is not death.” The faces of the two men lighted up. Until now they had been inarticulate with fear. But now one said: “That’s right, my boy. Us white men have got to stick together. The stuff ain’t a white man’s drink, course not. But they don’t have to drink it. We—” “Shut up,” Hardwick said irritably. Then to Katje: “My judgment is this: Keep them here as prisoners until they have drunk all this stuff ’—he indicated the jar— which they meant to sell to your people. Give them no water until it is all gone.” Then he strode to the door, suddenly conscious that he was very tired, intent on getting to his hut and sleep, ignoring the appeals of the men, apparently not hearing Katje when she called mockingly: “ My judg- GomiGcdooks (C@