Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1900-03-24

is equivalent to 40 miles day on an
American highway. Consequently,
Cross Dogs temper, usually peppered
dynamite, was now saw-edged light
ming. Sevenspot had posted him with
the information that native amigos
were not supposed to be abroad after
nine o'clock, and left the rest to his
discretion.
Gross Dog hacked with his bayonet
at the dried mud on his leggings and
stared across the narrow clearing be-
tween the mill and the cane field.
There came just the semblance of
rustic from the cane-brake and Cross
| Dog stopped hacking and dropped sud-
aenly on one knee. For at night man
can see better squatting than standing.
The nearer his eyes to the ground the
higher and palmer objects are thrown
up against the horizon.
The rustic in the cane field grew loud
er and Cross Dog unlocked the safety
on his krag. Then oblivious of his
danger, old Pedro stepped noiselessly
into the clearing and the shadow of
death. Cross Dog waited for the sec
ond native to come out of the brake.
If he came in the footsteps of his file
leader, one bullet would do duty for
two. And it is pity to waste ammuni-
ton, and a dirty rifle barrel makes
work. II old Jose had accompanied
old Pedro home that night, there would
have been two funeral drums to beat
the next day. But as old Pedro came
alone, Cross Dog hesitated a second and
decided to give the intruder a chance
for his life.
Haiti" he cried.
Old Pedro started and then in his
fright came on all the faster, his wicked
looking bolo in hand. That was too
much for Cross Dogs temper and
nerves, but he was an American and
instinotively hated to kill half-armed
creature whose life he could take as
he would snuff a candle. Moreover,
he had an American contempt for the
fighting qualities of these brown pyg-'
mics and the disposition to play cat and
mouse with them until they came right
| up to the bayonet's point. So Cross
! Dogs first shot made kite of old
Pedro's straw hat, his second spattered
the mud in front of him and three more
made shallow grooves in his bare brown
legs. There was one cartridge left in
Gross Dogs rifle when Pedro halted
painting at the bayonet's point. An inch
more and that cartridge would have
been the final period in old Pedro's book
of life. For Cross Dog was not only
rattiesnalle mad, but also grossly in
suited. a bare-legged Kakiack in his
shirttail and a straw hat and armed
! with four-span bolo had dared to
charge right up TO his rifles mouth
Cross Dog felt that he ought TO kill this
! fool creature. 1t was according to or
ders. But somehow he couldn't quite
do il. So he jabbed with mis- bayonet
through Pedro's hide and gave him q
choice selection of profanity and adj
vice.
when Melicana say Hat you (jab)
halt! ljab) Savoy. You caramba fool,
If you Gab( keep vamoosin when Nell
cana say (jab) halt, Melicana boom
boom you. When Melicana say halt YOU
stop quick till Melicana malayoh (see)
you with his mals (eyes) and talkee ah
kee (come here). You Gab) savey?"
Then old Pedro, after explanations,
was permitted to go to his nipa- shack,
and the four Americans off guard re-
| turned 10 their blankets. After crawl
ing into his shack Pedro ordered his
daughter Luisa TO make a light and to
emphasize the order he beat. her with
his fist IN the face. And Tulsa being
only woman made great outcry.
Then she got big bundle of split BAN
boo and laid it upon the bed of Goals
In the center of the mill and famed the
bamboo into a great flaming torch.
Then old Pedro ordered her 10 dress
his scratches, and beat her in the face
to insure obedience. The blaze of the
torch fell upon Cross Dogs back so
that he was a fine mark for Papircios
Remington and blinded his eyes so he
could not see five PAGES into the clear
ing. And Luisa's outcries deafened his
ears to the, secrets Of the canefeld.
For these reasons and not because he
cared to interfere with Pedro's meth
DDS of parental discipline, Cross Dog
deliberately violated regulations and
deserted his post
he picked up Sundle of dry, split
bamboo and marched through the
sugar mill to ;Pedro's nipa-shaclx. He
reached In and. caught that disciple of
Solomon by one ankle and dragged
him forth after the fashion of a plan
tation negro who knows where the
chickens roost. Then he applied the
| split bamboo where 1t il supposed 10
do the most good. And Pedro howled
and Gross Dog swore and so brown
babies woke up and squalled and
hnndred mongrel dogs barked.
"Shure," said Sevenspot, reporting
the occurrence to his lieutenant, who
visited the hacienda the following day,
when I woke up I thought were in
purgathory the day afther tn holo-
caust av an insane asylum, a dog
pound an'san orphan asylum. An
Tulsa there, tn ould Pedro's daughtef
sat by while Cross Dog larruped her
dad an wept tears ay Joy an graft
tude. I'm thinkin' 'twere TIL first
tonne she liver knew the ould bandit
to get his deserts. The other amigos