Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-24
XII.


That evening smoked in a splendid iso-
lation while the men whispered apart. I
had nothing to do but smoke, and to chew
| my cud. which was bitter. There could be
| no doubt, however 1 may have saved my
| face, that command had been taken from
me by that rascal Handy Solomon. 1 was
| in two minds as to whether not should
attempt to warn barrow or the DOCTOR Yet
! what could I say? and against whom should
/ warn them? The men had grumbled. as
men always do grumble in idleness, and had
| perhaps talked little wildly; but that was
nothing.
The only indisputable fact I could adduce
was that I had allowed my authority to
slip through my fingers. And adequately to
excuse that, I should have to confess that
I was a writer and no handler of men.
abandoned the unpleasant train Of
thought with snort Of disgust but 1t had
| led me to another In the JOY and uncer-
tainty OF living I had practically lost sight
of the reason for my coming With me it
had always been more the adventure than
the story; my writing was a-by-product, a
| utilization of what life offered me. I had
set sail possessed by the sole idea Of fer
reting out DR.. Schermerhorn's investiga-
tions but the gradual development of at
fairs had ended by absorbing my every
faculty. Now, cast into an eddy by my
| change of fortunes. the original idea re-
gained its force. I was out Of the active
government Of affairs. with leisure on my
| hands. and my thoughts naturally turned
| with curiosity again to the laboratory in
the valley.
Darrow's devil fires" were again paint
ing the sky. I had noticed them from time
to time. always with increasing wonder.
The men accepted them easily as only one
experience. but I had not as yet hit on a
hypothesis that suited me. They were not
allied to the aurora: they differed radically
from the ordinary volcanic emanations: and
IN tnd al rto
had ever SEEM The night was cool; the
stars bright; resolved to investigate.
Without further delay I arose to my feet
and set off into the darkness. Immediately
fire and Joined me.
Going for little walk. slr?'' asked
Handy Solomon sweetly That's quite
right and proper. Nothin' like little walk
to get you fit and right for your bunk
He held close to my elbow. We got just
as far as the stockade in the bed Of the
arroyo. The lights we could make out now
across the zenith: but owing to the pre-
cipitance of the cliffs. and the rise of the
arroyo bed. 1t was impossible to see more.
Handy Solomon felt the defenses carefully
"A man would think. sir: it was canni,
tidy-like here. 1t would take a ships guns
to batter her down. A man might dig un-
der these here two gate logs. II no one was
against s:sIn him; Like to try It, sir?'
From that time on was virtually pris-
oner: yet so carefully was my surveillance
accomplished that could place my finger
companiad me on my walks: and tn the
evening I was herded as closely as any
cattle
Handy Solomon took the direction Of at
fairs Off my hands. You may be sure he
set no very heavy tasks. The men cut
little wood. carried up a few pals of
water-that was all.
Lacking incentive to stir about. they
To 49, l,1tr ktn,1 Ir,l.
their backs watching the sky. This in turn
bred a languor which Is the sickest. most
soul and temper destroying affair invented
by the devil They could not muster up
energy enough to walk down the beach and
back. and yet they were wearied to death
of the inaction- After little they became
irritable toward one another. Each sus-
pected the other of doing less than he
should. You who KEW men will realize
what this meant. t.-.,
The atmosphere of our camp-became
surly. 1 recognized the precursor of its be-
coming dangerous. One day on a walk in
the hills came on Thrackles and Pulz ly-
ing on their stomachs gazing down fixedly
at DIR. Schermerhorn's camp. This was
nothing extraordinary, but they started
guiltily to their feet when they saw me-
and made off. growing under their breaths
All this that have told you so briefly
took time. 1t was the eating through Of
mems spirits by that worst of corroSives
idleness. I conceive it unnecessary to
weary you with the details
The situation was as yet uneasy but not
alarming. One evening overheard the be-
ginning of an absurd plot to gain entrance
to the valley-that was as far detail
went. l became convinced at last that 1
should in some way warn Percy barrow.
That seems simple enough proposition
does 1t not? But If you will stop to think
one moment of the difficulties of my posi-
ton you will see that 1t was not as easy
at first it appears: Darrow still visited US
in the evening. The men never allowed me
even the chance of private communication
while he with us. One or two took
pains to stretch out between Twice 1
arose when the assistant did, resolved to
accompany him part way back. Both times
men resolutely escorted u.s. and as reso-
lutey separated us from the opportunity Of
single word apart. The crew never
threatened me by word or look. But we
understood each sther.
l was not permitted to row out to the
Laughing Lass without escort. Therefore
1 never attempted to visit her again. The
men were not anxious to do so; their awe
of the captain made them only too glad to
escape his notice That empty shell of
past reputation was my only hope. 1t
shielded the arms and ammunition.
AS / look back on it now, the period
seems to me to be one of merely potential
trouble. The men had not taken the pains
to crystalline their ideas I really think
their compelling emotion was that of Gu
riosity. They wanted to see. 1t needed
definite impulse to change that desire to
one of greed.
Inc Impulse came 1TOUl feTCy bdTTOW
and his idle talk of voodoos. AS usual he
was directing his remarks to the sullen
Niger. ::
.>Voodoos?" he said. "Of course there
are. Don't fool yourself for minute on
that. There are good .ones and bad ones.
You can tame them If you know how. and
they will do anything you want them to-"
Pulz chuckled in his throat. You don't
believe it?" drawled the assistant turning to
him. "Weli, it's SO. You know that heavy
box we are careful Of? Well, that's got
tame voodoo in it."
The others laughed.
What he like?" asked the Niger
gravely.
Hes a fine voodoo, with wavery arms
and green eyes, and red CLOVIS Watch
ing narrowly it's effect he swung off into
one of the genuine old grooming voodoo
songs. once so common down south.
now so rarely heard No one knows what
the words means-they are generally held to
be charm words only-a magic gibberish.
But the Niger spraDg across the fire like
lightning. his face altered by terror, to
seize barrow by the shoulders.
"Doan you! Doan your he gasped. shak-
| ing the assistant violently back and forth.
Dat he King Voodoo song! Dat call him
all de yoodoo-all!'
He stared wildly about in the darkness as
though expecting to see the night thronged.