The Argosy, April 1916 — page 138: what you’re looking at

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

128 manded, flustered at the unexpected stand of offense in the man whom a little while be- fore he believed he had completely under his thumb. “You know very well ‘how so,’ Mr. Ran- som. Still I’ll repeat it for you, so there’ll be no misunderstanding. “When I stuck my head above the floor in there’—Danforth pointed toward the kitchen—“‘you may recall that you leaned down and whispered to me. I’ve a good memory, but even if I hadn’t I couldn’t for- get the words: ‘““*T know you for Stephen Weir of New York, young man, and you play into my hand now nice and gentle, or I'll see you rotten well deported and jailed if you don’t.’ ‘IT hope you remember, Mr. Ransom?” The overseer only snarled: “Well, you are Stephen Weir; ain’t you?” a | am.” “Then why are you giving yourself out here as H. A. Danforth?” ‘“‘That’s my private concern, sir.”’ “You have pluck, haven’t you?” the overseer declared in bold and sudden flat- tery. “And I don’t make any bets I can’t cover—that’s more to the point.” “You mean about what I said? That I could see you jailed? I’ll say it again if you like.” : “Say it!”? The words were snapped from the younger man’s teeth. “And I’ll tell you in answer, you rotten well—fie/”’ The overseer’s veins boiled with rage. In the glow of the lamp on the table his small yellow face took on a curious green shade. His great chest was cast forward; ~he breathed for a moment almost in snorts. One—two—three steps he advanced be- fore he spoke: “You are wearing my clothes. You’re wearing the shoes of a black laborer here in the Settlement. You’ve been fed and shel- tered here. And when I tell you what I know for a fact you—you beach-comber— you dare call me a liar!” The overseer made a sudden spring for- ward. ‘The American dodged round the table, placing it between them. “Beach-comber, am I?” he echoed, al- ways keeping a steady eye on the hulking giant, who might reach across the table by merely stretching his forearm. “Well, may- be I am and—maybe I’m not... I’ve been sick, I know that much, and I suppose in my present state you could do for me in THE ARGOSY. just about one punch, but you try to land that punch, you yellow rat, and I’ll give you this lamp flat in the face!” “Mercy! Mercy! Are you a wishin’ for to wake up the whole island?” a low husky voice broke in. Mother Juliet came panting and wad- dling through the palm-curtain. She ran to the American, seized the lamp from him and laid it on the table. Then planting herself in front of William Ran- som, she grasped both his big hands and held them against her breast, mumbling over them in her singsong drone. The American was amazed at the gradual hypnotic effect Mother Juliet wielded upon the giant mulatto. His head bent down until it almost touched hers. She crooned to him strangely and Ransom’s high voice in a sibilant whisper seemed to be.answering her. They must have remained thus, not more than twenty feet away from the American, for at least a quarter of an hour. Also they conferred together in some strange jargon, of which he could gather only an occasional word that meant nothing to him. At length Ransom turned away and, seat- ing himself on the couch, propped his elbows with his knees and laid his face in his hands thoughtfully. Mother Juliet bobbed about to the Ameri- can, who noticed only now an astonishing change in her appearance. -The overseer had not rashly ventured the statement that Michael Sands would never be able to run down the seeress. Ransom was prepared for the transformation, al- though in the present circumstances he gave it no attention. All the bulk of the dingy skirt and under- skirts of yellow satin were shorn from her, and she did not seem by half so squat and round. Her new dress, a borrowed one, was of dark woolen stuff, fitting her tightly. Over it she wore a long apron of blue- and-white-check gingham. Discarded were the barbarous necklace, earrings and other geegaws of shining metal. Yet most of all was she an entirely dif- ferent woman to look at because she had tinged her face, neck and arms a mulatto yellow and had taken off her mountainous wig of straight black hair. Now her flat head showed crinkled hair growing close to the scalp, with a diminutive coil like a cruller at the back of it. ‘These has long been terrible times on cComicoooks C@