The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-08-18

uU grew juicily in the warm airs
of the gulf was fiustered. 1t
could not be the heat that fiustered him,
for it was still before dawn; and though
at any moment the sun might come blaz-
ing out, he was not thinking of it.
"senors? he said, appealingly.
The two Englishmen stopped.
What does the fat fool want?" asked
Flackman, impatiently.
Don't know" said RENDER 'I'n ask
him''-and he put the question 1uently
in Spanish.
IF 1 might be permitted" said the inn
keeper, extending the palms of his hands
in emphasis, 81 would advise the senors."
the advice of Don Miguel is more
precious than pearls" said Render, Cour-
teously, resting the butt end of his
heavy rod on the ground, land without
doubt the oyster does not contain more.
But in what does the advice consist?"
Don Miguel bowed to the compliment,
and made answer. 1T is that the senors
should not go fishing today"
For what reason?'
Don Miguel had many reasons, appar-
emily.
1.-The day is a warm day, yet on land,
In the arbor, very cool. How pleasant
TO sit there and sip aguerdiente. Also,
Retta will sing to the senors. She has
this morning the voice of a nightingale"
"She mas the voice of six nightingales
Invariably" said RENDER. Also aguar-
diente is good. But we came to fish.
Consider, senior, how easily the sun
goes to the head of the unaccustomed."
True" said RENDER But the heads
of both of us are as thich as the rinds
of pumpkins, and are protected by SOM
breros.'
THE heads of the senors are of ex-
cellent proportion" said Don Miguel,
hastily. And yet-there might be a
hurricane"
II see no sign of It," Render main
tanned.
The innkeeper became yet more ear
nest. "Senor," he said, you will laugh,
I know it, or maybe frown, for it is Don
Flac6man that laughs always, thinking
these things but superstitions, and of no
account"
But what things?"
Don Miguel looked about him anxious
~ as if he feared the presence of some
supernatural agency, and crossed him
self, before he answered, in low voice:
Things that are said-in fear-the
MeXicans say them. Without doubt these
half-breeds are mud compared to your
excellencies, and yet l. wno live here
and know, who am of the blood of Cas-
tile, I also am afraid. Senior, I ask you
where are the German senors that went
fishing yesterday?' Them also I warned
and'-again he crossed himself-"they
have not returned"
Warned them of what?" said Ken
der, eager to get to the point.
The innkeeper dropped his voice still
lower
"Of the Finless Death" he said.
RENDER looked at him curiously The
man was evidently earnest in his warn
ings, for the sweat stood out on his
face and he wrung his fat hands as if in
,f diTacr Il
himself a scientist little man, but
firm-lipped, Unconditional, and with a chin
that betokeped incredulity, was the last
person to take a superstition literally, or
to be moved by it. Nevertheless, he hes
itated a moment. 1t seemed to him as
if sOmething-some danger, perhaps
might underle this manifest fear.
Aren't you coming?" said Flackman,
impatiently.
He had not understood the conversa-
ton, and was longing to reach the fish
ing grounds.
I'm a minute" said RENDER and he
turned to the inkeeper. What is the
Finless Death?" he said, tapping him on
the arm.
Don Miguel turned up the whites of
lbs eyes.
Senior, how should I know? Only this
I have hearG-that at the full moon the
F'iness Death moves on the lagoons, and
makes men stark with fear. Last night
it was almost full"
True said RENDER lit was undenia-
bly, almost full"
And twice Pedro, that, as the senior
knows is an unerring watchdog, bayed
violently"
AT what?"
at nothing
And therefore at this devn?' said
Render, smiling.
The innkeeper evaded insisting on this
sequence.
1.-THE German senors have not return
ed he repeated, significantly.
Nor paid their bill?' asked Render.
THAT is nothing" said Don Miguel,
with dignity. 4 have warned the Sc
nors" He turned away, hurt.
And truly 1 am most grateful" said
Render; but my friends, as you per-
ceive, is not to be persuaded and there
fore we go to fish. Maybe We shall catch
the inless thing itself"
The innkeeper threw UP his hands in
an ecstacy of horror as Kendick followed
F'Iackman through the orange groves
that led down to the creek where Jose,
the half-breed, was getting ready the
boat Flackman was highly amused to
hear of the innkeepers alarm.
You refused to be warned then?'
RENDER asked.
Don't your"
MY dear man." said RENDER" new
er take warnngs-at least in so far as
they frighten a man away from what he
does not know by what he does not
know. It's my business to learn, just
as it's my pleasure to jest. I only told
you because-well-you know you've got
an imaglnation-it might get on your
nerves"
'Nonsense!' said Flackman, and added
inconsequently: Miguel is a fat man,
and all fat men are FOOLS"
Il incline to think there's something in
it."
Some Mexican, full of aguardiente,
saw a cutie fish at the full moon once"
"Perhaps-but it's descriptive-their
name for the terror"
20. that I grant you," said Flackman,
laughing. They make a good case for
their demons by giving them a sounding
title, but they've got too many of 'em-
only they seem to have impressed you
RENDER.
mot much" said Render; I'm inter-
ested, 1 admit; 1 take lit to be some
water devil-something connected with
fish"
but fnless."
AN eel, perhaps-its quite easy to I'm.
agine an eel without fins-or some sort
of water snake"
Sea serpent" Flackman suggested. He
was much amused to see Kender-usually
so skeptical-interesting himself in Don
Miguels supernatural Absurdity For his
own part, he could think of nothing but
the desire to hear his reel run again.
and to hold up a fighting fish by his
own slIillful handling till it should be
drawn to the boat side and the gaff,
splashing family, a hundredweight of
tired silver. And it was a day of DAYS
for fishing. The sky was already full