The San Francisco call., 1908-07-26

carpet one Oh d uOASN
SELL
The boys and girls that hang ABOUT
the alley came and rubbed their noso'
on the window and ntcknaneu
T.oban0ula IT was the time wnen NJ
was In the papers, and that
years or more back, as you
Nobodv else took notice for coupie
of days. except an old sea captain
was drunk and wanted him lOl
mounds. On the third day isaac u
my attention to a dark chap A'a
he called him, but he WASH t-"i'A
wide nose and black eyes and naii'
might have been the joss orotnei'
ua was standing in front Of the WIN
dow bowing. with his hands crosseu
over the back of his neck ho'ioeu
that a finger was missing, the htlie
finger of his left hand
"I don't like the look of that cnap'
Isaac" said. TT strikes me nes
after our joss. Wen put the ola
gentleman in my bedroom when we
shut up tonight"
always kept anything speclaiiy
valuable there, and 1 had an alarm Deil
to the door and bars to the winuo"
and revolver handy beside my Oeu-
So slept soundly all that night ana
when Isaac came in the mornlns-ne
did not sleep here then-we carried tne
old joss down again.
The next day there were two foreisn
men, as like as peas, and they hap
both lost the little finger of the IeIt
hand. When they salaamed to the JOSS
they chanted in lingo that did not
understand. though 1 know DIT Oh
most. Then they went off.
When Isaac was going to take him
out of the window that night ne
stumbled forward and his head went on
his knees and the old joss lifted nls
arm, the one with the dagger ike q
flash. caught Isaac by the collar ana
jerked him back just In time. He must
have touched a spring, but we could not
find It, We wrapped the dagger IN
sacking before we carried him upstairs
1t seemed to have got on my nerves
and dreamed a good bit about II tnat
night. I thought 1t was in sort OF
temple with open sides, surrounded by
sand and palms, and a lot Of brown men
were pushing me toward 1t, and Its veil
went up and Its eyes seemed to draw
me, and when got within reach they
tripped me with a rope, and just as l
was falling awoke. 1t was beginning
to get light, and there the thing squat
ted on the table where had put 1t and
the veil had fallen of its face and its
eyes were staring at me. covered 1t
up with the counterpart before in-
ished my sleep.
About half an hour after we had set
II In the window the next morning the
two foreign men came in and salaamed
to me. I might have been looking at
the image except for one difference.
Their faces were flesh that looked like
wood and the joss face was wood that
looked like flesh.
what do you want?" I asked; and
they pointed to the image and Jabbered
in their queer lingo and made lot OF
signs and played sort OF play. One
was the joss. it seemed. and the other
stood for me, and II I didn't go and
kneel to him and then give him to them
he would kill me. or they would, 1 was
not sure which. Anyhow took up
dog whip-a Swede brought 1t from
Iceland-and then they went.
Just as they were going the professor
came in. He caught hold Of my arm
and stopped me from running after
them.
IT'S no use." he declared. you'll have
to let 1t 60"
Not for all the wood faced dagoes in
the world" I said. I'll advertise the
thing with a sketch OF 1T, and If you
won't give me a thousand for 1t some
one else will"
very likely"-he, shrugged his shoul-
ders-"if that's the price you put upon
your life"
I turned bit cold. for knew that he
understood lot about those things.
Look here" offered. seven hun
dred and fifty down and you can take
it now
Not as a gift" he said. unless
what did they say?"
How do I know? It's all jabber. jab-
Der, jabber. their talk. Do you know
it,"
Yes" he said. "oh. yes"
Then stop and talk to them II they
come back"
NO" he refused. IT don't want them
to connect me with it, but I'll stay in
your room and listen to them II you
like"
They came back just after tea and
went through the same pantomime as
before, and when they had gone went
: In and asked him what they said.
''They called to you to do obeisance
to the god so that he could lift his
little finger and go home, and when
you did not do 1t they called you The
Neck OF the God Who Smites.' You'd
better give IT up and let me make the
best terms for you that can"
~ In a