Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 16, 1921 — page 31: what you’re looking at

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

22 and is not accustomed to being addressed as Smoke. ‘Hi sye,” retorted the negro shrilly, * what a little man hit is, to be sure!” Sheer surprise held Thornton’s resent- ‘men in abeyance. As a stowaway on a British freighter he had come into conflict with unknown types; but he had never heard ‘a negro talk like a Cockney. “If you’re twins,” he grinned, “ where’s the other one?” The barkeep was not much older than Dave. “Him a Jamaica gentleman, sah! ”) - A negro would always rather chuckle than quarrel. A glance into Dave’s alert, gray eyes rendered the black prudent. He smiled back, and before the evening was far advanced the two were friends. Jamaica admitted that jobs were plentiful, and Dave had visions of becoming personal assistant to a conquistador at one of the claims. Contemptuously the young American surveyed the mob of Chinamen, Italians, Poles, and Kanakas, and the violently ‘painted mestizos in the place. These folk were not what the sought; yet the night was passing, and he had urgent need of a bed. At this point Dave perceived a rear room and, through half-drawn curtains, four men seated about a table. Money was stacked on the table. Dave walked to the door, and as he did so. the barkeep, who was busy for the mo- ment, called to him sharply. But the boy stepped noiselesSly inside; straightway three of the four looked up. Dave recog- nized the glance. He had often indulged in craps in vacant lots of a Sunday. Yet there was no law against gambling in Punta. In fact, there were very few laws at all in those days. A man’s past was his own affair. Dave’s lean face was wistful and guile- less. So two of the four poker-players did not suspect that the boy who watched them from a near-by box had noticed that they dealt often from the bottom of the pack. He was far too wise to comment on this fact. Once he had spoken unwisely dur- ing a fe’c’s’le game, and had limped for a week from a lascar’s knife-thrust. Dave duly noted that- the two—Spiggotty swells, ‘need a watchman—a guard. ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. he classified the colorfully dressed, dark- faced Chileans—who dealt from the bottom of the pack were winning. - They answered to the names of Manuel and Pedro. One of the others, an Englishman with a turkey- red face, who was addressed politely as Senor Juan, was deeper in drink and was fast losing the pile of tiny gold nuggets that had been in front of him. It was the fourth man who spoke to Dave. “You are looking for a job? so, yes?” Dave surveyed him. He was Dom Cal- buco, an elderly Portuguese. He had friendly black eyes and well-kept hands. His careless play showed that it meant little to him to lose. Dave reflected that Calbuco must have heard him talking to the barkeep. “Maybe,” he admitted. ‘‘ I’d like to get out to the gold fields.” Calbuco tossed, faces down, three queens into the discard. Now, Dave had seen that Sefior Juan, the Englishman, who took the pot, had held a lonely pair of tens. It struck him as curious; but his mind was intent on Calbuco’s offer. ‘“ Certainly,” the Portuguese agreed. You said ae I will pay well.” His black eyes scanned the young — American appraisingly. ‘Ten pounds a month, when your job is ended. You can handle a revolver. You have one,.yes?” Dave carried an old Colt that he had bought after the painful experience with the lascar’s knife. He had been raised among the gangs of the lower West Side, - in New York, and fighting had been per- force a part of his education. So it was agreed that Dave was to work for Calbuco for one month. For this he was to receive fifty dollars, gold. He would leave Punta on a coastal steamer for the place on the morrow at sunup. Meanwhile he could sleep on the vessel. * “You're sure it’s out on.a mining claim, Mr. Calbuco?” he insisted warily. Calbuco smiled indulgently. ° “A landmark, Thornton. Every one in the strait is bound for it.” When the game broke up the three oth- ers went out, Calbuco nodding cordially to EO NOOK = A C©