Argosy All-Story Weekly, August 9, 1924 — page 38: what you’re looking at

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

138 loudest outcry, although every place he touched brought forth a dismal response. By this time his suspicions were pretty much aroused. There was absolutely no sign of inflammation except a small spot in the center of the heel. “TI think I have located the trouble, Braulio. Just hold still a moment.” He drew out his penknife. At the sight of the pointed blade Braulio redoubled his cries of distress. “Oh, mi capitan, mi capitan! Ai, por Dios, por Dios!’ cried the martyr in an- guished tones, jerking the heel out of his captain’s grasp several times. His patience exhausted, Larry seized the foot firmly in his hand. “‘ Shut up, Uoron! There is a thorn in here. And when the thorn comes out, the pain will stop!” Finding resistance vain, the sufferer per- mitted the removal of a small brier, infini- tesimal in size. Seeing that his bluff was called, Braulio then stood up and blandly unwound the sheet from his head. Amid the hoots and jeers of his companions he took his place in line. He had avoided three days’ hard drill by means of a little strategy, but the fatigue duty his capitan imposed broke him of trying it again. A month had passed since that fateful morning in Panama Joe’s, when, pale and shaken, Larry had accepted a commission. The excitement, hard work, and healthful outdoor life aroused a spirit of cheerful- ness in him which before had been entirely lacking. ‘There were times when the crav- ing for white eye returned, but he never felt the overwhelming desire which marked the hour just before he was seized with the * ataca.” Usually the craving returned the strong- est after the camp was wrapped in slumber. ‘At such times, unable to sleep, he would steal out to a small hill overlooking the valley. Here several times he watched the great waning disk of a Iate moon rise in blood-red splendor, paling to yellow gold, and diminishing in size as it ascended with incredible swiftness high above the moun- tains, to hang like some gigantic jewel of the infinite in a setting studded with dymg worlds. had never witnessed one. ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. In such an hour a great longing for com- panionship would come over him, but not for the companions of his old life. Rather, it was for some one in whom he could con- fide the thoughts that welled up from the depths of his being—some one who could understand his hopes and fears, and could explain some of the mysteries of life which he found unsolvable. The bitterness had gone from his heart now. He remembered Lucille only as he had seen her that last time, with the tears on her upturned face. He had lost her, but no one could ever take from him the memory of those few short months, or could ever deprive him of the happiness the knowledge of her love had given him. He found solace in these thoughts, and the shadow of despair seemed lifting from his soul. Under that spell he would gaze in awe upon the night scene before him, where like a colossal curtain before a mighty stage the panorama of valley and mountain hung suffused in silvery luster, hushed, expectant, as though awaiting the moment when the majestic strains of a sub- lime orchestra would set the night to throb- bing and the curtain would lift for the ac- tion of the play. Pernaps life was like that, needing but the influence of some unknown force to drive away the shadows. The general conceived a great liking for the ‘ Gringuito,” as he called Larry, and often took him along when making a tour of inspection of the camp. One afternoon when they rode together their attention was attracted by a large, compact mass of sol- diers gathered in one section of the field. Drawing near, they found the center of at- traction to be two soldiers standing in the center of a squared space, surrounded by a closely packed audience. ‘‘What is the excitement here?” de- manded the general of an officer standing on the outskirts of the crowd. “Tt is a duelo de venganza,” the officer replied. Larry had heard of these fatal duels, but He knew they were usually the outgrowth of an ancient feud, justified by a code of honor as ancient as the race. He resolved to see what he COMmicloo A S (C@) nn