The San Francisco call., 1908-07-26
The San Francisco
Tie LITTLE FINGER OF TIE GOD BY Owen Olive

one thing, they would consider 1t an
insult to the god to buy his freedom.
1t would be doubling his power to free
himself. For another thing, they con-
slider that you have TO pay for the in
suit that you have done to him. But II
you'll let II go I'll make the best terms
that can with them"
Just then the wooden faced men came
in and 1 went out in a fury and took I'D
a big knob kerr: the man who sold il
to me said 1T came from the Pretoria
kafir police. But they did not run, only
motioned me TO look at the joss. Then
they pointed me out to him and chanted
slowly. There was no one near II TO
touch a spring. but the arm with the
dagger went slowly up and quickly
down. The two men bowed to 1t with
their palms together. Then'they bowed
to me with their palms apart. as IL
You seeP' was what they meant. Then
they went.
Isaac" I said. 1--WE had enough Of
this. Get out the ak and the coal ham
mer and Wen smash the thing up"
But the professor came out from Behind
the curtained door.
NO. nor he begged excitedly. NO.
no! 1t would be a sin. Such wonder
full workt Such wonderful work. You
may have your thousand pounds yet.
Come and listen to me-"
We went into the shop parlor and sat
down. and what he said was this:
"You daren't keep it while they're
after it," he said, "and I daren't take II.
but suppose we can get them to give 1t
up? What then?"
TT would murder one OF u.s." said.
mo. no. When had it I'd soon ind
the spring and make 1t safe. Anyhow
I'll risk the idol II can get free from
It's followers"
You'll never persuade them to 60"
I declared.
NO" he said. 'but-ths god might
The god?" stared at him.
They might mistake my voice for
his'-he laughed a dry laugh-'1f they
broke in. as they thought OF doing last
night. in the dark"
Il seer I cried. It seer' I almost
danced with delight; I was younger
then and not so stout. You'll talk to
them in their lingo as IL you were the
joss and tell them to go on and never
come back. eh?'
Il shall tell them that I Chat Is. the
joss, as you call IT'D will not come TO my
finger. They must bring the finger to
me. They haven't II. or they would
have been here before you put him In
the window"
DO you seriously mean to say that
a wooden finger would have brought
them to it? Shown them the wayr'
II mean 1t very seriously" he said.
And If they did nnd his little finger at
any ttme-well. the risk win be mine.
If they go tonight. and buy t. II
they don't"-
If they DON'T" I said. so much the
worse for them I'm not afraid OF
couple of wooden faced brown men,"
We assumed that they would make an
attempt for 1t that night. So we did not
carry 1t upstairs. but set It in the mid
die OF the shop. on low carved chair.
fnlaid with ivory. that looked like a
throne-as 1 rather think 1t was; but
the black who brought II didn't speak
English welI and I could only make out
that 1t was something to do with a
great ju-Ju," called Ko-ko. We put a
screen behind 1t. and the professor sat
behind the screen. hid behind an In
dian cabinet that stood near the door
from this room. 1t was dark except for
a faint glimmer from the fanlight over
the shop door. The shutters were ND
on the door and the window. The dark
ness got on my nerves. and whenever
the professor stirred Jumped. thinking
that it was the joss moving.
Twelve struck. one. two; then T heard
a faint noise at the window OF the shop
parlor-the room we're In now. They
were evidently trying to force the
catch.
They'll come close by me-" 7 whis-
pered. Hadn't better mover
No. no"' he whispered back. 'You
might knock something over and they'd
hear. They can't see you. They'll be
between you and the nght-what there
is. Keep quiet"
~~oRN 4AAOIs SuAfcrlnK with excite
ment; or, II 1t was anything else. IL
wasn't from fear OF them. IN own
that 1 didn't feel quite easy about the
joss.
At last the fastening went back with
a sharp "clack-" Then the window -.
opened slowly. Then I heard them In
the room; and then they crept into the
shop and stood Just inside IT. close to
my elbow. The giimmer from the fan
light showed them. They salaamed Ia
the figure and spoke In soft dspre-
eating tones. and suddenly a voice came
from it-welL I suppose Il was ths
professor, but II sounded unearthlv
and angry. II seemed to ba xfvins,
orders. When It stopped they turned
haf round. as II they were going. and
suooenIy the man next TO me pounced
upon me In the dark ana almost thr-~
me over his shoulder into the ar. -