Argosy All-Story Weekly, May 17, 1924 — page 93: what you’re looking at

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

SUNDOWN CAFE. She rejoined with a disconcerting ques- tion: “ This body she is worth ver’ moch? People will come from distant parts, Others will kill.” “The body being of a very evanescent substance,” Glamours replied, “ it is natur- ally worth nothing.” ‘ There are papers, jewels, secrets?” He covered his trepidation with a laugh. ‘“‘ There are no papers. There are no jewels. Nothing about it is a secret. It’s the body of my uncle. Lost. He died under another name—Mate Grimpen. To establish his death it is necessary for me to identify this Mate Grimpen as my uncle.” “You have come so far—jus’ for that?” He hesitated, answered with difficulty: “No. There was another reason—the real one. Hang it all—you wouldn’t under- stand.” He laughed in discomfiture, but caught her eyes studying his with a curiously in- tent fervor. ‘ And yet,” he went on, “I rather think you might—you came here believing your ancestor’s spirit still hovers over the place!” She answered eagerly. ‘“‘ Si, sevior. There is no doubt in my heart.” “Well, then perhaps you won’t think me such a balmy coming on this quest. It’s more to satisfy my family at home. They’re a superstitious crowd. There is a tradition that goes back a jolly good bit of time— that all the mariners of our family must be buried at sea.” ‘“‘ Kes the desire of every mariner in the world they say—” the girl added. “We go a step further: One of my forbears was warned once of the curse that would befall our family if we ever ignored that tradition—even once. Bally rot, of course; but we’ve been having a blasted run of ill luck, disease, death, losses at this and that. Extraordinary coincidence. But to satisfy the clan I swore, silly ass that I was, that I would find the uncle called Mate Grimpen and bury him at sea. I, being a skipper and the head of the family on the sea, felt it my duty, y’*know,. A damned nuisance and all that. But I’m in for it. I am determined to see it through—”’ “This Mate Grimpen, your uncle,” the 248 girl said afire with interest. “ How can you tell it is he—if being so long dead—his face—” “There you’ve clicked! But if there’s anything left of his skin—there’s a mark— our family crest y’know that will tell every thing. It is a tattooed design on his shoul- der like this.” He threw back his pea-jacket, baring his great bronzed shoulder where the girl saw the tattooed coat of arms—heightened in color because of the dank heat—a red shield with bend sinister and a unicorn combatant. She studied the mark, then looked up into his eyes again. ‘“ You come so far for this pilgrimage. Ees bueno! But I have hear the news in this house. Senor Herzog spik many things. He is possess’ with many fears. The mate he make the dying wish. He wanted to be bury’ at sea. That is the resting place for the mariners. I have heard when the sailor he is cast into Gulf of Mexico his body floats slow, sure, back to his own country.” Glamours assented to this. “I did not know you would understand such things. I have heard my uncle make that wish many times. It was an obsession with him —-a superstition. It is a common thing for a man to desire a good kind of burial. I came to fulfill that too.” “ Bueno! It shall be fulfill’. Now I will tell why I beg for you, sevor, to come here. It is in a word. This Herzog is afraid of you. He is craze’, this posadero, He thinks you, sevor, are diablo incarnate. He makes the plan. My mozo knows many things. He listens in the patio. He hears the voice of death. To-night you will be knife’. Ees horrible. Fly, senor, away. I will help you. You are a great man, You are a caballero. You are a_ hidalgo! Before those hombres, sevor, you are the king.” Glamours felt that a terrific load had been lifted from his back. An almost un- governable impulse overwhelmed him—to catch the frail girl up in his arms. But again he was aware of that intangible aura of mystery about her, protecting her— as there is about a strange tropical plant that might poison the skin. She might be x COMMICLOOOKS (C@