Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 16, 1921 — page 35: what you’re looking at

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

26 Then he trotted back to the saloon where his Jamaica friend was to be found. “ You got a gun?” he whispered. it to me.” “ Hindeed not,” returned the barkeep. ‘“‘ Listen, Jamaica,’’ wheedled Dave, “I got to have a gun. I’ll pay you ten dollars for it.” ‘Ave you the ten dollars, Hamurrica?” grinned the black. And as Dave assured him that the money would be forthcoming within’ two days he grinned the more. ‘““Ow did ye get hoff the Evangelistas?” Jamaica’s conscience had troubled him. He had meant to warn Dave to steer clear of Calbuco, but he had not been able to find him, Calbuco, the black admitted, was a fish- hawk—the kind of hawk that waited until a patient sea-bird had secured a fish, and then bullied its victim into giving up the prize. So Jamaica confided under his breath, adding that Calbuco had been driv- en out of Rio not so long ago. : “Look here!” demanded Dave. me, where’s John Bruce?” The Jamaican polished a tumbler in si- lence and glanced warily at the saloon “Lend “ Tell door. Conflicting emotions crossed his ebony face. “F’s gorn awye. Been gorn a week.” Dave shook his head. “ Nix. He was waiting for his girl. in Punta, and I’ve got to find him.” “You won’t find ’im. Hi sye, don’t ye know when ye’re bloomink well.gff? Take my word for hit—leave the bleeding place on the P. S. N. C. steamer, with the Nor- wegians, my lad.” The negro’s voice dwin- dled to a shrill whisper. ‘‘ Calbuco hain’t gorn on yer looks. ’E don’t like to be spied on when ’e’s at ‘is little games, witli Pedro and ‘is mate.”’ “Pedro and Manuel are Calbuco’s men?” Dave thought quickly. ‘‘ Maybe I know more’n you think, rummy. See if I don’t! Calbuco wants to do Bruce outer his mine, see? He stacks the Britisher up against a set of cheaters until Bruce owes him a heap of coin. Get me? Meanwhile the Spiggotties slip an Indian into Bruce’s shack to look for information. Bruce is made to sell out to them, and then—” He’s ARGOSY-ALLSTORY .WEEKLY. ‘“ That’s where you’re mistaken, my lad. Mr. Bruce refused to sell ’is claim, and ’e did for the Hindian right and proper. ’Oo cares? They ’ad ’im jailed for that, but ’e wouldn’t give in.” ‘“ And now he’s missing—hey ?” The negro nodded cautiously. “Look here, Jamaica, you’re a good guy. Bruce’s girl is here, and Calbuco has her.” “ Han English lydy?”’ ‘‘ Sure.” Dave strained a point. a lady, all right. Calbuco is.” Jamaica was profoundly disturbed. He had been born under the British flag, and an Englishwoman was sacrosanct in his eyes. A few words from him assured the American that the Calbuco -woman had kept a house of bad repute in Rio de Ja- neiro before migrating to Punta, and that many of her associates had found lodging in the white house on the plaza. So Dave got his gun, a blunt-nosed .32. " “ Not so worse,” he thought. That evening Sefior Calbuco was enter- taining friends at cards in a quiet room opening upon the baloony of his fine house. The balcony, by the way, ran clear around the building, and was shaded by the branches of a large tree. The Portuguese, who was in excellent hu- mor, had just announced to his friend the alcalde that he held three queens against ‘ She’s And that’s more’n Mrs. two pair for the alcalde. And he was rak-- ing in the pot when another man spoke. _ ‘‘Tf you are interested in mining claims, my friend Calbuco, I can tell you what we learned during our examination of the Tier- ra del Fuego shore near the western end of your strait.” It was one of the Norwegians, a giant of a man with merry blue eyes. His name was Walstrom, and he had come with his companion to pay Calbuco for the guides the Portuguese got them—at a price. Walstrom and Quensel were not playing; they had been interested for some time in certain sounds resembling the sobbing of a woman not far away. They were too polite to ask questions. ‘* Ves,” agreed Calbuco, “you were say- ing ¢ that you saw— EO NOOK = A (C@